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What Is Nylon (And What to Consider Before Buying it)
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What Is Nylon (And What to Consider Before Buying it)
By Vinita Baravkar
When it was first produced in the early 20th century, nylon took the textile world by storm.
Though most of us own at least some products made from nylon, you may still be wondering what exactly nylon is, how it’s manufactured, and what impact it has on your health and the environment.
This article will give you a quick rundown on all things nylon — arming you with the knowledge to make informed decisions while buying fabrics for yourself and your family.
One of the most popularly used fabrics in the fashion industry, nylon is a synthetic, man-made fibre sourced from petrochemicals or crude oil extracts.
When synthetic polymers are linked with a compound called amide, the resulting material is a thermoplastic polymer — otherwise known as nylon.
All being a thermo-softening material means, is that at a certain high temperature nylon fibres are malleable and solidify once again when cooled down.
This gives the fibre durability and stretchiness which makes it a preferable material in the textile industry to make apparel, activewear, swimwear and other technical garments.
Now let's look at how nylon first came about.
Fun fact: Nylon was the world's first fabric to be made in a lab.
In 1935, American organic chemist Wallace Carothers invented nylon while working at DuPont, a chemical manufacturing company.
By the end of 1935, the fibre was patented by DuPont. Nylon was all set to be launched to the world.
The first commercial use for this fibre was the nylon-bristled toothbrush developed in 1938.
After making its debut in 1939 at the World’s Fair in New York, nylon was touted as the new replacement to silk.
It was a success with the fashion industry, which soon started using nylon extensively to make women's hosiery.
This is how the term "nylon" became synonymous to "stockings".
As nylon became a staple in women's fashion and grew in popularity, another rising industry saw its potential for a critical event — World War 2.
The military equipment industry sought out nylon in making parachutes for soldiers. In fact, nylon was also used in other wartime essentials like ropes, flak jackets, mosquito nets and even aircraft fuel tanks.
Soon enough, nylon changed the world of fabrics forever.
To put it simply, nylon fabric is a type of plastic that's derived from petroleum.
Scientifically, nylon is a polymer — which means it is made up of a long chain of monomers (or single-carbon molecules).
Its production is a long and arduous process that is both chemically and energy-intensive at each step.
Below are the steps on how nylon is made:
The production begins by extracting a certain compound called diamine from crude oil (i.e. petroleum).
Next, two sets of molecules are combined together to create a polymer. The previously extracted diamine monomer is mixed with adipic acid. The result is a thick crystallised polymer or "nylon salts".
These are commonly known as nylon 6, 6 or simply 6-6. The name is based on the number of carbon atoms between the two acid and amine groups.
Once the crystals are dissolved in water, they are acidified and heated to create a strong chain, which is impossible to break even at a chemical level. This is where nylon gets its strength and durability from.
Manufacturers use a special machine to heat the nylon polymers to a specific high temperature. The polymer molecules combine together to form a molten substance which leads to the next step: spinning.
The molten substance formed is spun in a mechanical spinneret which separates thin fibre strands and exposes them to the air. The exposed strands harden instantly. They are then wound into bobbins and stretched to create the strength and elasticity that nylon is known for.
The fibre’s filaments are unwound and then rewound onto a spool in a process called drawing which aligns the nylon molecules into a parallel structure. The resulting fibre strands are multipurpose threads that can be woven or bound as they are, or they can be combined and further melted.
Finally, the fibres are ready and depending on the end use, can either be woven or fused together to form various products. The hotter the melting temperature, the more seamless and shinier the end product.
Across the world, nylon is used extensively in various industries.
Every year, 8 million pounds of nylon is produced globally.
In fact, nylon accounts for 12% of the world's synthetic fibre usage.
Most of the world's nylon is manufactured in Asian countries such as China, India and Taiwan.
From toothbrush bristles, carpets and car parts to guitar strings and military-grade equipment, nylon has found its way into most daily-use and industrial items.
While it started with women's stockings, nylon is now a key component in making gloves, leggings, jackets, shorts, umbrellas and even boots.
The fabric is cheap, stretchy and durable — making it a hit with the manufacturers.
Since nylon and polyester are both man-made, it can be easy to get confused between the two fabrics.
Both fabrics are synthetic, lightweight, and durable.
However, manufacturing nylon is a more expensive process than that of polyester. This results in an overall higher price point of nylon for the end consumer.
Nylon also tends to be more durable and weather-resistant — which explains why it's commonly used in outdoor apparel and outerwear.
Below is a table comparing the two synthetic fabrics:
We still use a great deal of nylon, but we’ve switched to recycled sources for most of it: In our Spring 2024 line, only 2% of our fabric usage by weight includes virgin nylon. To meet our goal of moving completely from using virgin to recycled content, we need recycled nylon to continue making some of our favorite technical jackets and garments—and to maintain our performance standards.
One step in that journey is our use of Aquafil, a nylon yarn made from a 50/50 blend of postconsumer and pre-consumer nylon waste. The postconsumer materials come from products like fishing nets and discarded carpeting that have been bought, used in the world and then trashed. Pre-consumer waste material includes items like industrial plastic that would have otherwise been downcycled, downgraded or sent to a landfill. To create this fiber, our partner ECONYL utilizes its Regeneration System to bring the nylon waste back to its original chemical state, so the recycled yarn has the same characteristics as standard nylon produced from virgin raw material.
Most mechanically recycled materials are melted at high temperatures; this process destroys contaminants and transforms the material into a reusable form. However, nylon melts at a much lower temperature, leaving contaminants behind. As a result, it must be thoroughly cleaned before being recycled. Good sources of clean postconsumer nylon are difficult to find, but we are working closely with recycling partners to ensure the recycled nylon we use is pure and still rooted in performance.
For the Spring 2024 season, 90% of the nylon fabric we used to make clothing and gear is recycled nylon. Our use of recycled nylon fabrics this season reduced CO₂ emissions by more than 6.6 million pounds compared to virgin nylon, based on the Higg Materials Sustainability Index, version 3.6.