PP Luggage vs PC Luggage: Which is right for you?

Having a good and reliable travel suitcase is very important whether you are going on a business trip, vacation, or home to visit your parents. You could be carrying fragile and sensitive items that you’d like to arrive in one piece.

For some peace of mind, you’ll need to compare polypropylene vs polycarbonate vs ABS luggage to find the right one that will best fit your needs. Make it the one that not only fits all your items but also one that will ensure their safety even under rigorous conditions.

Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, there are several guidelines that you always have to adhere to at the airport. The size and weight of your luggage are the top two that you should pay close attention to unless you don’t mind paying a huge additional fee.

Having the right polycarbonate, polypropylene, or ABS luggage for your needs will go a long way in ensuring your checked suitcase is of the right weight.

Polypropylene vs Polycarbonate vs ABS Luggage

Let’s take a more detailed look at the differences between these hard-side luggage materials used in making travel suitcases.

ABS stands for Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, a petroleum byproduct. ABS is a popular luggage material that accounts for almost 30% of hard-side suitcases. ABS is suggested for infrequent travel, as the material is durable but can suffer damage when exposed to high temperatures or rough handling.

ABS LUGGAGE PROS

·         Attractive price

·         Lightweight

·         Rigid

·         Water resistant

But be kindly note: it must be raw ABS material, not recycled! Because recycled ABS has bad antioxidant, and easy to break. So PP Luggage vs PC Luggage: Which is right for you?

When comparing polypropylene vs. polycarbonate bags, it’s important to remember that while polypropylene is lighter, polycarbonate is the sturdier choice. A polycarbonate suitcase may cost more but will offer more rigid protection.

Hardside: Polycarbonate (PC)

Polycarbonate is an extremely tough polyester compound used to make over 40% of hard-side luggage. While heavier than polypropylene and ABS suitcases, polycarbonate bags are flexible and highly resistant to cracks. 

POLYCARBONATE PROS

·         Moderately priced

·         Strong and durable

·         Water resistant

·         Flexible

·         Crack, scratch, and impact resistant

·         Lightweight

POLYCARBONATE CONS

·         Not as flexible as soft-side luggage

·         Higher price than polypropylene luggage

·         More difficult to repair if damaged

·         Heavier than polypropylene and ABS bags

Hard Side: Polypropylene (PP)

Polypropylene (PP) is a hard hydrocarbon resin made from propylene, a petroleum byproduct. Polypropylene is a little less rigidity as other hard-side luggage materials, but it does have some advantages:

POLYPROPYLENE LUGGAGE PROS

·         Budget-friendly

·         Lightest hard-side luggage material

·         Well-suited for frequent use

·         Chemical and temperature resistant

·         Waterproof

·         Crack-resistant

POLYPROPYLENE LUGGAGE CONS

·         Not as rigid as polycarbonate bags

·         The color can degrade when exposed to UV light

At last, after 20 years experiences in manufacturing luggage, I want to say, no matter ABS or PC or PP, the most important is they are virgin material if you want to use them 10 years. But it has too much plastic in our earth, we should not make more plastic. So, will you accept if we use recycled plastic to make them, even the luggage lifetime is only 3 years?