What polyester and nylon are
Both are synthetic fibres made by melting a polymer and pushing it through fine holes to form filaments, which are then textured, knitted or woven. The difference is the polymer. Polyester is mostly polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the same family of plastic as drinks bottles. Nylon is a polyamide, a polymer held together by amide links; the two common types are nylon 6 and nylon 6,6.
That chemistry explains most of the differences you notice in a garment: how soft it feels, how much water it takes up, how it reacts to sun and chlorine, and which dyes and prints it accepts. Our guide to cotton, polyester and blends covers the natural fibres; this one goes deeper on the two synthetics.
Polyester vs nylon at a glance
| Nylon | Polyester | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Softer, smoother, slightly silky | Crisper, unless brushed or textured |
| Strength and abrasion | Very strong and hard-wearing | Strong, a little less abrasion-resistant |
| Stretch and recovery | More natural give | Less give; relies on elastane for stretch |
| Water | Takes up more water and dries more slowly | Takes up very little and dries quickly |
| Sun and chlorine | Fades and weakens faster | Holds colour and strength better |
| Dyeing | Acid dyes give deep, bright colours | Disperse dyes, applied at high temperature |
| Printing | Screen printing and heat transfers; hard to sublimate | Sublimates well, for all-over prints |
| Heat | Melts; iron cool | Melts; iron cool |
| Price | Usually costs more | Usually costs less |
One measurable difference is water. When labs test the fibre content of a garment, the EU's labelling rules allow for the moisture each fibre normally holds: 1.5% for polyester against 5.75 to 6.25% for nylon, and 8.5% for cotton. Nylon holds about four times as much water as polyester, which is why a nylon swimsuit stays damp longer and a polyester training top feels dry sooner.
Which to choose, garment by garment
| Garment | Usual choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Leggings and sports bras | Nylon with 15–25% elastane | Soft, smooth handfeel, strong compression and good opacity |
| Training tops and team kits | Polyester, often with a little elastane | Wicks and dries fast, holds colour, takes sublimation prints |
| Swimwear | Nylon/elastane for feel; polyester or PBT for pool training | Polyester resists chlorine and fading for longer |
| Windbreakers and rain shells | Nylon or polyester, often ripstop | Nylon is lighter for its strength; polyester holds colour |
| Puffer shells and linings | Lightweight nylon or polyester | Low weight and a smooth face |
| Fleece | Polyester | Takes brushing well, dries fast and is warm for its weight |
| Shorts and joggers | Polyester or nylon blends, or cotton | Quick-drying for sport; cotton for lounge |
Denier and weave for jackets and bags
For outer layers, the yarn thickness matters as much as the fibre. Synthetic filament yarns are described in denier: the weight in grams of 9,000 metres of yarn. A 20 to 40 denier nylon makes a light, packable shell; 70 to 150 denier is more robust; heavy bag fabrics go well above that.
Ripstop weaves a thicker yarn into a grid every few millimetres, so a tear stops at the next line instead of running. It is used in both nylon and polyester shells. Ask for the denier, the weave and any coating or water-repellent finish in the fabric specification, and see our jackets page for the styles we make.
Recycled polyester and recycled nylon
Both fibres come in recycled versions that perform like the virgin fibre. Recycled polyester is most often made from plastic bottles, and increasingly from textile waste. Recycled nylon is made from waste such as pre-consumer yarn scraps, old fishing nets and carpet.
If you call a garment recycled on the label, the hangtag or your website, use fabric certified to a standard such as the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), and keep the certificates. Advertising rules in most markets require environmental claims to be accurate and backed up.
What to call them on the label
In the US, the FTC's fibre names include "nylon" and "polyester", and the international ISO names are also accepted, so "polyamide" is allowed too. Canada lists "nylon or polyamide", with the label in English and French. The EU and UK list the fibre as "polyamide or nylon", so either word works, translated into the language of the country where you sell:
| Language | Polyamide or nylon | Polyester |
|---|---|---|
| French | polyamide or nylon | polyester |
| German | Polyamid or Nylon | Polyester |
| Italian | poliammide or nylon | poliestere |
| Spanish | poliamida or nailon | poliéster |
| Dutch | polyamide or nylon | polyester |
| Polish | poliamid or nylon | poliester |
Every fibre is listed with its percentage by weight, from the largest to the smallest. Our spandex vs elastane guide covers naming the stretch fibre that usually goes with them.
Getting the fabric right
Ask for a fabric swatch or a sample in the real fabric, and test it the way your customers will use it: stretch it, wash it, leave it in the sun, and for swimwear, rinse it in pool water. Write the composition, weight and finish into your tech pack, so the bulk matches the sample.
At Nevear the minimum is typically 50 pieces per item, samples take 2–3 weeks, and bulk orders usually arrive 3–4 weeks from the order date, shipping included. We confirm the fabric, composition and weight in your quote, and see our sportswear page for the activewear we make.