The material of your cross body bag affects everything from durability and weight to weather resistance and style. Understanding what different materials offer helps you make smarter purchasing decisions and ensures your bag serves you well for years. This guide breaks down every common bag material, explaining its properties, advantages, disadvantages, and ideal applications.
Leather: The Classic Choice
Leather remains the gold standard for bags that combine durability with timeless style. However, not all leather is created equal, and understanding the differences helps you evaluate quality and value.
Full-Grain Leather
The highest quality leather available, full-grain uses the entire thickness of the hide with the natural grain intact. It's the most durable, develops a beautiful patina over time, and can last decades with proper care. Full-grain leather is typically found in premium bags and commands premium prices.
Top-Grain Leather
The second-highest quality, top-grain leather has the very outer layer sanded away to remove imperfections. It's then often embossed with an artificial grain. While slightly less durable than full-grain, top-grain leather is still excellent quality and more affordable.
Genuine Leather
Despite the reassuring name, "genuine leather" is actually one of the lower grades. It comes from the layers beneath the top grain and lacks the durability and appearance of higher grades. It's better than synthetic alternatives but won't age as gracefully.
Bonded Leather
The lowest grade, bonded leather contains leather fibres mixed with synthetic materials. It's essentially leather-flavoured plastic and should be avoided for quality bags.
Leather Summary
Best for: Professional settings, everyday elegance, long-term investment pieces
Avoid if: You need water resistance, want minimal maintenance, or have a tight budget
Care needs: Regular conditioning, protection from water, proper storage
Nylon: The Practical Performer
Nylon has become incredibly popular for bags due to its excellent performance characteristics. It's lightweight, strong, and typically water-resistant—a combination that's hard to beat for practical everyday use.
Standard Nylon
Basic nylon fabric offers good strength and durability at an affordable price. It's commonly found in everyday bags and provides decent weather resistance.
Ripstop Nylon
Ripstop incorporates reinforcing threads in a crosshatch pattern that prevents small tears from spreading. It's slightly heavier than standard nylon but significantly more durable, making it excellent for travel and outdoor use.
Ballistic Nylon
Originally developed for military use, ballistic nylon is extremely tough and abrasion-resistant. It's the heaviest nylon option but provides exceptional durability for demanding use. Common in professional travel bags and premium everyday carriers.
Cordura Nylon
A branded fabric known for exceptional abrasion resistance. Cordura comes in various weights and is often found in outdoor and adventure bags. It typically outlasts standard nylon significantly.
Nylon Summary
Best for: Travel, active use, everyday practicality, Australian climate
Avoid if: You want a luxury look or prefer natural materials
Care needs: Minimal—machine washable in many cases, easy spot cleaning
Canvas: The Casual Classic
Canvas offers a distinctive casual aesthetic that many find appealing. It's sturdy, often affordable, and increasingly available in sustainable options.
Cotton Canvas
Traditional canvas is woven cotton, offering breathability and a natural feel. Untreated cotton canvas isn't water-resistant and can absorb moisture, but treated versions offer improved weather protection.
Waxed Canvas
Canvas treated with wax develops water resistance while maintaining its natural appearance. Waxed canvas develops character over time and can be re-waxed to maintain protection. It's popular for heritage-style bags with a vintage aesthetic.
Recycled Canvas
Made from recycled cotton or other fibres, recycled canvas offers an environmentally conscious option. Quality varies, but good recycled canvas performs similarly to virgin cotton canvas.
Canvas Summary
Best for: Casual everyday use, eco-conscious buyers, vintage aesthetic lovers
Avoid if: You need serious weather protection or a professional look
Care needs: Can stain if not treated; may need waterproofing treatment
Polyester: The Budget-Friendly Option
Polyester often gets overlooked, but quality polyester can perform admirably at lower price points than nylon or leather.
Standard Polyester
Basic polyester is lightweight and affordable. Quality varies significantly—cheap polyester can feel plasticky and wear poorly, while higher-quality polyester performs well for everyday use.
Recycled Polyester (rPET)
Made from recycled plastic bottles, rPET has become increasingly popular as brands respond to sustainability concerns. It performs similarly to virgin polyester with a smaller environmental footprint.
Technical Polyester
Engineered polyester fabrics with specific properties—moisture-wicking, UV resistance, or enhanced durability—are common in athletic and outdoor bags.
Vegan and Synthetic Leathers
For those who want a leather look without animal products, several alternatives exist:
PU (Polyurethane) Leather
The most common leather alternative, PU leather consists of a fabric backing coated with polyurethane. Quality ranges widely—cheap PU cracks and peels quickly, while premium versions can last for years. Look for high-quality PU if choosing this option.
PVC Leather
Similar to PU but using polyvinyl chloride, PVC leather is less breathable and generally considered less desirable both for performance and environmental reasons.
Innovative Plant-Based Leathers
Emerging materials made from pineapple leaves (Piñatex), mushroom mycelium, apple waste, and other plant sources offer promising alternatives. These are still relatively expensive and availability is limited, but they represent the future of sustainable luxury materials.
Vegan Leather Summary
Best for: Those avoiding animal products, trend-forward styles, budget-conscious buyers
Avoid if: You want decades of durability or natural material feel
Care needs: Varies; generally easy to clean but may degrade faster than leather
Speciality and Technical Materials
Dyneema/Cuben Fiber
An ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene used in high-performance outdoor gear. It's extremely strong for its weight and completely waterproof. Found primarily in premium outdoor and ultralight bags—expensive but exceptional.
X-Pac
A laminated fabric combining a face fabric with waterproof membrane. Popular in cycling and travel bags for its combination of durability, water resistance, and relatively low weight.
Tarpaulin/PVC-Coated Fabrics
Completely waterproof materials used in messenger bags and outdoor gear. Tough and easy to clean but heavier and less breathable than alternatives.
Choosing Material Based on Use
Match your material to your primary use case:
- Professional/Office: Full-grain or top-grain leather, premium vegan leather
- Travel: Ballistic or Cordura nylon, ripstop nylon
- Everyday Casual: Canvas, standard nylon, quality polyester
- Active/Outdoor: Technical nylon, Dyneema, waterproof laminated fabrics
- Budget: Quality polyester, PU leather, standard nylon
- Eco-Conscious: Recycled materials, plant-based leathers, waxed canvas
Material and Australian Climate
Australia's climate presents specific challenges for bag materials:
- UV exposure: Intense Australian sun can fade and degrade some materials faster than in less sunny climates. Nylon and polyester generally handle UV better than leather
- Heat: Dark leather bags left in cars can become extremely hot. Lighter colours and synthetic materials handle heat better
- Humidity: In tropical regions, leather may be prone to mildew without proper care. Synthetic materials are more forgiving
- Rain: Sudden storms make water resistance valuable even for primarily urban use
For most Australians, nylon or technical polyester offers the best all-round performance, with leather reserved for situations where appearance matters more than practicality.