Nylon 6 & Nylon 66-What’s the difference & How to choose?
It is vital to choose the right fabric to make your active apparel right. In activewear industry, polyester, polyamide(also known as nylon) and elastane(known as spandex) are the three main synthetic fibers dominate the market. Other fibers such as viscose and modal are also used at times
However, a single kind of fiber can differ based on their different chemicals or structures. For example, the polyamide(PA) could be found in variations such as nylon 6(PA6), nylon 46 and nylon 66(PA66). They can vary in terms of elasticity as well. Among these, the most commonly used and dominant types of nylon fibers in the market are nylon 6(PA 6) and nylon 66(PA 66). So, what’s exactly the difference between them?
The Production of Polyamide
Before discussing about the differences between PA6 and PA66, we need to figure out how the polyamide is produced.
Polyamide actually is a general name for polymers with repeating amide groups on the molecular backbone when used as fibers. The number behind it actually indicates the number of carbon atoms using in the amide. Both nylon 6 and nylon 66 are the most widely adopted in the fabrics and clothing industry.
Nylon 6 VS. Nylon 66
In fact, it is hard to tell the difference between nylon 6 and nylon 66 if only tell from their appearance. Still, there are still some minor differences between these two in terms of touch, durability, and the way of coloring.
Durability: Since the melting and softening point of nylon 66 are higher than nylon 6, the nylon 66 has a better durability than nylon 6. However, the nylon 6 has a better stability comparing to nylon 66.
Texture: Nylon 66 is silkier and softer then nylon 6, which is the main reason that it is usually used in carpets, curtain and luxury lounge apparel.
Coloring & Dyeing: Nylon 66 is harder to dye, leading to a poorer color fastness compared to nylon 6
Despite these, there is a vital factor makes nylon 6 is more widely used in the active wear: its lower production and manufacturing cost. In other words, it is cheaper than nylon 66. Even though the nylon 66 might perform better than nylon 6 in the active wear, there is still room for improvement in its general applicability. However, ultimately, the choice between the two types depends on your targeted market for activewear.
Extension: The sustainability of Nylon
Even though the nylon is the main fibers in the activewear segment, the industry insiders still focus on exploring the sustainability and decreasing on carbon footprint and pollution that accosiated with nylon’s production. And in 2023, we have witnessed multiple breakthroughs on this, for example, lululemon’s effort on recycling nylon and their t-shirt collection based on bio-based nylon. Acteev unveils its new nylon fiber collection including its bio-based nylon..,etc. Arabella believed these they might shape the future of nylon’s production and applications. Check out what happened in the fiber industry that related to nylon and sustainability in 2023:
Arabella’s Weekly Brief News : Nov.6th-8th
Arabella’s Weekly Brief News: Nov.11-Nov.17
Arabella Just Finished A Tour on the 2023 Intertexile Expo in Shanghai During Aug.28th-30th
As a full-customization and performance sports clothing manufacturer, Arabella Clothing supports fabrics customization with an abundant fabrics sources. Here are some of products that able to use nylon 66:
OEM Fitness Yoga Wear Push Up Sports Bra For Women
Full legnth active leggings workout pants with pockets
Custom Hot Selling High Waist Workout Tights Woman Leggings
Feel free to consult us for more details!