Materials guide · Reviewed 19 October 2026
Key points for buyers
- Microfiber leather gives a dense, leather-like look and hand-feel, resists abrasion and hydrolysis, and keeps clean edges; choose it for handbags, trims, organizers and structured panels.
- Nylon is smooth and strong for its weight; choose it for backpacks, travel and outdoor bags where tear strength matters.
- Polyester holds colour and prints well and is stable; choose it for everyday bags, printed bags and linings.
- PVC is our option for coatings and weather-resistant, wipe-clean parts such as bases and coated outer fabrics.
- Never specify by one number such as “600D” alone: also name weave, coating or backing, thickness and colour, or send a swatch.
- Send a sample, photos or a tech pack. Standard samples take 7–15 days; special fabrics or colours are timed separately.
Most bag briefs name a material in two words: “synthetic leather”, “nylon”, “polyester”. Each of those words covers a wide range of materials that look, feel and wear very differently. Picking the right family first, then specifying it properly, saves sample rounds. This guide compares the three families buyers ask about most when they look for a custom bag manufacturer — microfiber leather, nylon and polyester — and shows what to write in the brief for each.
DINLEEY LLC was founded in 2022 and sews bags, organizers and soft goods on its own production line; Korean brands are long-term OEM clients of ours. The material sheets shown below are samples from our own material library. For structured products with foam, boards and hardware, read how to specify materials for structured sewn products.
1. Quick comparison
| Microfiber leather | Nylon | Polyester | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Leather-like grain or smooth; matte to semi-gloss | Smooth, slight sheen | Matte to slight sheen; prints and melange looks |
| Hand-feel | Dense, soft and full, close to genuine leather | Smooth, supple | Slightly firmer, crisp |
| Wear | High abrasion and scratch resistance; resists hydrolysis, so the surface does not crack or peel with age | High tear and abrasion resistance for its weight | Good, stable; less stretch |
| Colour | Wide colour range, embossed grains | Dyes deep and rich | Very good colourfastness, easy to print |
| Typical uses | Handbags, trims, handles, organizers, small leather goods, structured panels | Backpacks, travel bags, outdoor and pet bags | Everyday backpacks, totes, printed bags, linings |
| Edges | Edge paint, folded edges or binding | Binding or folded seams | Binding or folded seams |
2. Microfiber leather
Microfiber leather is a synthetic leather built on a dense non-woven microfiber base, structured much like the fibre network of genuine leather. That base gives a bag three things: abrasion resistance at corners, bases and handles; resistance to hydrolysis, so the surface keeps its look in heat and humidity instead of cracking or peeling; and a full, soft hand-feel that is close to leather. It sews and folds cleanly and takes edge paint well. Specify thickness in mm, grain (smooth, pebble, cross grain), surface finish and colour, and say whether edges are painted, folded or bound. We do not use PU-surfaced synthetic leather, because it ages faster and tends to hydrolyse, cracking and peeling over time.
- Good for: structured handbags, organizers that should look premium, trims and handles on fabric bags, logo patches.
- Check on the sample: flex at folds and handles, edge finish, colour transfer to light linings.
- Care: wipe clean with a damp cloth; avoid solvents.
3. PVC as a coating and weather option
PVC-coated material and PVC synthetic leather are firmer than microfiber leather and fully wipe-clean, and they hold up well to moisture and outdoor use. Choose PVC where a closed, washable surface matters more than a soft hand: bases, wipe-clean structured parts, and items used outdoors, in the car or with pets. PVC is also the coating we put on the back of nylon or polyester when a fabric needs more body and water resistance. It is stiffer when sewn and folded, so mark which panels should be PVC.
4. Nylon
Nylon is strong for its weight and resists tearing and abrasion, which is why it is common in backpacks, travel and outdoor bags. It comes in many constructions: plain weave, ripstop, oxford, twill and high-density weaves. A coating or laminated backing, such as a PVC coating, adds body and water resistance. In the brief, name the denier, weave, coating side and finish (matte, semi-gloss), and the colour. A swatch or a reference product makes this much easier.
5. Polyester
Polyester is dimensionally stable, holds colour well and takes prints and sublimation easily, so it is common in everyday backpacks, totes and printed bags, and it is the usual choice for linings. Oxford polyester with a PVC coating is a frequent outer fabric; lighter polyester taffeta is a frequent lining. Specify denier, weave, coating and colour, and for prints, the artwork, repeat and placement.
6. Mixing materials
Many bags combine materials: a nylon or polyester body with microfiber leather trims, handles or a base, or a PVC-coated base where the bag is set down on wet ground. Mixing works well when the materials are matched in thickness at the seams and the colours are checked together under the same light. Tell us which panels are which material, or mark them on a photo, and we propose seam and edge construction on the first sample.
7. How to specify a material in the brief
| Field | Example of a clear entry |
|---|---|
| Family | Microfiber leather; or PVC synthetic leather for wipe-clean parts |
| Construction | Nylon ripstop, polyester oxford, plain weave |
| Weight / thickness | Denier for fabrics; thickness in mm for microfiber leather |
| Coating / backing | PVC coating on the back; foam or non-woven backing if needed |
| Surface | Matte, semi-gloss, pebble grain, smooth |
| Colour | Pantone or physical colour reference |
| Where used | Body, base, trims, handles, lining — mark on a photo |
Logo techniques such as emboss, deboss, print, embroidery, metal plate and woven label are available through our upstream suppliers, and each suits some materials better than others; microfiber leather takes emboss and deboss especially well. Choose the method during development. Bulk is inspected against the approved sample with basic testing, and third-party lab reports can be arranged on request. See also the custom OEM product development brief, materials and components and the pet carrier backpack OEM guide.
FAQ
What is microfiber leather?
A synthetic leather built on a dense non-woven microfiber base. It is closer to genuine leather in structure and hand-feel than fabric-backed synthetics, resists abrasion well and resists hydrolysis, so it does not crack or peel with age. Name the thickness, grain and colour in your brief.
Which synthetic leathers do you use?
Microfiber leather for a soft, leather-like hand on bags, trims and structured panels, and PVC synthetic leather or PVC-coated material for firmer, wipe-clean and weather-exposed parts.
Which is stronger for a backpack, nylon or polyester?
For the same weight, nylon generally has higher tear and abrasion resistance, while polyester is more stable and holds colour and prints well. Many backpacks use either one with a coating; the weave and coating often matter as much as the fibre.
Is 600D enough to specify a fabric?
No. Denier gives yarn thickness only. Also name the fibre, weave, coating or backing, finish and colour, or send a swatch.
Can you match a material from our reference bag?
Yes. Send the bag or a swatch and we match the material through our suppliers, then confirm it on the first sample. Standard samples take 7–15 days; special fabrics or custom colours are timed separately.
Can you provide material test reports?
Bulk is inspected against the approved sample with basic testing, and we can help arrange third-party lab test reports on request.
Next step: send a swatch or a reference
Email info@dinleey.com with photos of your reference bag or swatch, the panels you want in each material and your target market. You can also use the contact and quote form or WhatsApp. More answers are in the OEM sourcing FAQ.