Ballistic nylon is a thick, tough, synthetic nylon fabric used for a variety of applications. Ballistic nylon was originally developed by the DuPont corporation as a material for flak jackets to be worn by World War II airmen. The term ballistic nylon takes its name from the fact that it was intended to protect its wearers from flying debris and shrapnel caused by bullet or artillery shell impacts. It was not an effective defense against most pistol or rifle rounds. Ballistic nylon was succeeded by Kevlar and other, more effective, bullet resistant fabrics.
Modern applications of ballistic nylon include luggage, cave packs, tool belts, police duty belts, motorcycle jackets, and skin-on-frame kayaks. Teams in the FIRST robotics competition also use this material for their bumpers.
Ballistic nylon is of a heavier weight than most nylons used in manufacturing: 18 oz (1050 denier). As it resists abrasion and tearing, it is typically used for luggage and in the bottom of bags made of a lighter nylon or other fabric.
Cordura was the registered name of a certified rayon fabric from DuPont [1] . Today, it is the registered name of a high-performance Nylon6,6 product manufactured by Invista, a wholly-owned division of Koch Industries, Inc. It is used in a wide range of products from luggage and backpacks to boots, military apparel (such as tactical blade sheaths, ammunition pouches, etc.), and performance apparel.
It is designed to be long lasting and resistant to abrasions, tears and scuffs.
As a brand name, Cordura reaches back to 1929 as a development of Rayon. The product was further developed during the Second World War and used by the military in tires. From 1966 when new formulations of nylon proved superior, the Cordura brand was transferred to the nylon product instead.
Cordura has continued to be developed as a brand by Invista with new products applied to an increasing range of items such as:
· luggage
· motorcycle clothing
· anywhere that abrasion resistance is important
· sporting and recreational equipment such as paintball gear
Rip-stop Nylon is a light-weight, water-repellent nylon fabric with inter-woven ripstop reinforcement threads in a crosshatch pattern, so the material resists ripping or tearing.
Rip-stop Nylon is often used in hot air balloons, kites, parachutes, camping equipment such as lightweight tents and sleeping bags, flags, banners, and many other applications which require a strong lightweight fabric. Rip-stop reinforcement can also be incorporated into heavier fabrics which require extreme durability, such as those used in the manufacture of luggage and Nomex protective clothing for riot police.
