Women's Nylon Handbags Guide

A handbag is a type of fashion accessory that holds other accessories — essentially, a larger accessory that holds objects beyond currency, such as personal items. American English typically uses the terms purse and handbag interchangeably; they are also referenced as pocketbooks. Handbags can be manufactured with many materials, and the most practical of them is nylon.

Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers, based on aliphatic or semi-aromatic polyamides — a thermoplastic, silky material that can be melt-processed into fibers, films or shapes, and was the first commercially successful synthetic thermoplastic polymer. DuPont began its research project in 1927; nylon reached the world in a toothbrush in 1938 and in women's stockings in 1940 (the full story is on our nylon tights page). The fiber that made stockings modern turned out to make bags nearly indestructible.

Why Nylon Works for Bags

Three properties decide a bag's working life, and nylon wins all three. Weight: a nylon tote can weigh a third of its leather equivalent, which matters in a bag that is carried, not worn. Abrasion resistance: nylon fiber is exceptionally resistant to scuffing and tearing for its weight — the weaves range from fine satin nylon and quilted nylon to ripstop and heavy ballistic weaves borrowed from luggage. Water behavior: nylon itself absorbs little water, and coated nylon (a polyurethane or silicone finish on the back of the cloth) sheds rain outright; a nylon bag in a downpour is a shrug, where a leather bag is an emergency.

The blends multiply the options. Blending nylon with other fibers keeps its desirable properties — elasticity, durability, ability to be dyed — while fixing its weaknesses; in bags the classic blend is material rather than fiber: nylon with leather trim, handles and piping where hands and eyes go, nylon everywhere the weather and the pavement go. It is the formula behind the most successful practical handbags ever sold.

Styles: Totes, Crossbody, Travel

The nylon tote is the category's flagship: an open or zip-top carryall, often with a padded laptop sleeve, that serves as work bag, gym bag and carry-on in one. The crossbody in nylon is the travel and city bag — hands-free, close to the body, featherweight even in larger sizes. Backpack handbags and convertible tote-backpacks split the load across both shoulders, and nylon satchels and shoulder bags cover the polished end, especially in quilted or satin weaves with chain or leather straps.

Judge a nylon bag by its hardware and its lining, because the shell will outlast both if they are cheap: metal zippers with smooth travel, reinforced strap attachments, a lining that is light-colored (so you can find things) and preferably ripstop. Pockets decide daily happiness — count them against your actual carry: phone, keys, bottle, laptop, and the small chaos of receipts.

Choosing and Caring for a Nylon Bag

Choose the weave for the job: satin and quilted nylon for a bag that must look polished; ripstop and ballistic weaves for travel and heavy daily use; coated fabrics where rain is routine. Black is the default for a reason — nylon shows city grime on light colors — but nylon also dyes brilliantly, and a colored nylon bag is one of the easiest ways to add color to a wardrobe without weight or fragility.

Care is where nylon humiliates every other bag material: most marks wipe off with a damp cloth and mild soap, many nylon bags can be hand-washed outright (check the label — leather trim and structured bases say no), and they air-dry in hours. Store stuffed loosely to hold shape, keep away from prolonged direct sun, which slowly weakens any synthetic, and your nylon bag will do what nylon has done since 1940: outlast expectations.

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