Polycarbonate vs Polypropylene Luggage Materials: The Decisive Battle In 2024

Luggage material is something that we can’t ignore because it’s the most important factor that determines the durability and reliability of any luggage. There are various luggage materials on the market, and polycarbonate and polypropylene are two of them.

Of all the luggage materials, polycarbonate is the most popular, followed by ABS and then polypropylene. If you’re stuck between polycarbonate and polypropylene luggage materials and unable to decide which material you should choose, worry no more.

In this guide, we’ll compare both materials on various parameters and find out the pros and cons of each material so that you can decide which is more suitable to your requirements and expectations.

We’ll also share some of our favorite luggage options as well. By the end of this polycarbonate vs polypropylene luggage guide, your concerns about the best luggage material will be uncovered, so stay with us till the end.

Our Favorite Polycarbonate and Polypropylene Luggage Options

We’re sharing some of the best luggage options for both types of materials. You can confidently choose any of them; it’ll prove to be one of the best investments for your upcoming travels.

Polycarbonate Luggage

Best Overall	Samsonite Omni PC
Most Durable	Travelpro Platinum Elite
Most Stylish	Samsonite Centric
Most Premium	Away the Carry-On

Polypropylene Luggage

Best Overall	Samsonite Freeform
Most Affordable	Traveler’s Choice Pagosa

Overview of Polycarbonate Luggage Material

Pros and Cons of Polycarbonate Luggage

Benefits

• Polycarbonate is not only more durable than polypropylene but also the most durable of all other plastic luggage materials. The reliability of polycarbonate is much higher than that of polypropylene.
• Polycarbonate is more temperature-resistant than polypropylene, which means PC is more capable of handling different temperature changes.
• Polycarbonate is lightweight, but not to the same level as polypropylene. However, the additional weight is not that considerable.
• Polycarbonate is more resistant to cracking, so this material, due to its flexibility, is very hard to crack or break.
• Polycarbonate is more resistant to scratches and scuffs than polypropylene.

Drawbacks

• Compared to polypropylene, it’s more expensive.
• It’s the heaviest plastic luggage material.

Overview of Polypropylene Luggage Material

Pros and Cons of Polypropylene Luggage

Benefits

• Polypropylene is the lightest luggage material.
• It’s not the cheapest, but it’s generally more affordable than polycarbonate.
• It’s durable enough, but compared to polycarbonate, it’s less.
• Polypropylene is the most flexible material, providing it with excellent durability.
• It’s also resistant to weather changes but to the same level as polycarbonate.

Drawbacks

• It easily attracts scratches and scuffs quicker than polycarbonate.
• Compared to polycarbonate, it’s less UV resistant.

In-Depth Comparison: Polycarbonate vs Polypropylene Luggage

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Is polycarbonate more durable than polypropylene?

As we mentioned above, polycarbonate is the most durable material of all the other materials, owning more than 50% of the total hardside luggage market share. The durability and flexibility of this material are outstanding; you don’t need to be afraid of it breaking or cracking under heavy pressure and testing.

Because of its uncompromised reliability and high impact resistance, you can rest assured that you can travel everywhere across the world with luggage made from polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is also temperature-resistant; no matter where you travel, it can easily adapt to different weather changes.

But we never mean that polypropylene luggage material is not durable at all. In fact, it’s also a good material, and it can also handle the ups and downs that come along while traveling because of its ultimate flexibility. When comparing both materials side by side, polypropylene doesn’t come close to polycarbonate.

Under high pressure and testing, polycarbonate survives much better and longer than polypropylene. That is the reason why polypropylene only owns 8% of the total hardside luggage market share.

It’s important to note that almost all the most popular brands, like Away, Travelpro, Monos, Delsey, and Samsonite, mostly use polycarbonate material in their suitcases.

So if you’re a frequent traveler, we’d recommend you go with polycarbonate material luggage, but if you’re an occasional traveler, you can choose a piece of polypropylene luggage.

But if you’re checking your luggage in, you should always prefer polycarbonate over polypropylene because polypropylene is more likely to break because of the rough handling by baggage handlers.

Which one is lighter: polycarbonate or polypropylene?

If weight is the most important concern for you, then polypropylene is the only option for you because it’s the lightest material used in luggage. There is no doubt that polycarbonate is the most durable, but talking about weight, polycarbonate loses on this parameter.

On average, polycarbonate is 10% to 12% heavier than polypropylene. That’s not a huge difference, but for those who often overpack and don’t want to exceed the baggage weight allowance set by airlines, polypropylene becomes an excellent choice.

It’s also worth noting that the material of the luggage body is not the only thing that contributes to the overall weight of the luggage; there are several other elements like the wheel, main wheel handle and grab handle, lock, and zipper that also together add up to the weight of the luggage.

Which is more cost-effective and affordable?

Talking about the price and affordability of a suitcase made from both materials, undoubtedly, polycarbonate also falls into the affordable range, but when it comes to polypropylene, it’s even more affordable.

The good things come at a price, and that applies to polycarbonate material. Another reason is that polycarbonate, as we mentioned above, is used by most reputed brands like Away, Travelpro, and Tumi. This is also a reason why polycarbonate is more expensive than polypropylene.

But sometimes, polypropylene becomes even more expensive than polycarbonate. For example, if you notice the Samsonite Freeform luggage made from polypropylene, it’s more expensive than the Samsonite Omni PC, which is made from polycarbonate. So exceptions are always there.

Keep in mind that the material is not the only factor that determines the affordability of any luggage, but generally, polypropylene is cheaper than polycarbonate luggage material.

So if you’re really tight on budget, then you can consider polypropylene luggage; otherwise, in the long run, polycarbonate is a much better option.

Brand Categorization Based on Polycarbonate and Polypropylene Luggage Material

There are dozens of popular luggage brands on the market, and based on the material, we can divide them into two groups: premium brands and affordable brands.

Away, Rimova and Tumi are among the most expensive and premium brands, and they never use polypropylene luggage material in the construction of their suitcases; they always use either polycarbonate or aluminum luggage material.

These are renowned brands that never compromise on quality; that’s also one of the main reasons why they sell so well.

Samsonite, American Tourister, Coolife, and Traveler’s Choice fall under the affordable category because they use both materials. Whenever they want to keep the prices of any luggage lower, they prefer using polypropylene over polycarbonate luggage material, but they also use polycarbonate material in most of their suitcases.

Design and Appearance?

Talking about the design and aesthetics, suitcases made from polycarbonate and polypropylene look very similar, but it’s difficult to identify them from a distance. Polycarbonate and polypropylene suitcases generally come with textured designs.

As we mentioned above, both materials attract scratches and scuffs, but when compared side by side, polypropylene is the material that gets scratches and scuffs more easily and quickly. That’s why polycarbonate suitcases look newer for a longer period of time.

The Verdict: What should you actually choose: polycarbonate or polypropylene?

That’s all about both polycarbonate and polypropylene, but you might be wondering which material you should choose for your luggage. Don’t worry; let’s summarize it.

For Frequent Travelers, Heavy Packers or Businessmen

If you’re someone who travels frequently or is a heavy packer, then polycarbonate is the perfect choice that you should go with. Polycarbonate can more easily handle obstacles, especially the rough handling by baggage handlers.

If you’re a businessman who needs to attend several business meetings and look professional, you should also choose polycarbonate luggage so you can stand out from the crowd.

For those worried about luggage weight or budget-conscious occasional travelers

If you’re overly concerned about the weight of luggage and often overpack but still want to stay light to avoid exceeding the airline’s weight allowance, polypropylene luggage is an excellent choice for you.

However, the difference in weight between polycarbonate and polypropylene luggage materials is not that much, and it’s about 10% to 12%. If it matters a lot to you, consider getting a polypropylene suitcase.

If you occasionally travel and are tight on budget, you can also go with polypropylene luggage, as it’s also durable enough when it comes to infrequent travel, but polycarbonate luggage is always a better choice with little price difference.