Cordura celebrates 50 years in 2023 with new bags and packs celebrating milestones in fabric innovation, end-use applications, on-trend collaborations, and the continued launch of its Fabric Finder that enables apparel and gear brands to digitally explore fabrics and order samples.

“Cordura fabric came onto the scene in a decade of accelerating change and a time of great excitement. The way we all lived, worked and played was being transformed and with our Nylon 6,6 fiber, we were transforming the fabrics needed in response. Through advances in technology we made it possible to offer a new level of durability that would become the hallmark of the Cordura brand for the next fifty years”, said Cindy McNaull, brand business development director at Cordura.

Key fabric developments and their benefits from Cordura for the bags/packs category include:

  • Classic Fabric manufactured with high-tenacity air jet textured Nylon 6,6 filament yarns;
  • TrueLock Fabric with locked-in color and lot-to-lot consistency;
  • Lite Fabric that is light weight and offers durable performance;
  • Ballistic Fabric is a 2×2 woven fabric for heavy-duty performance;
  • UltraLite Fabric with lightweight durability, offering a strength-to-weight ratio; and
  • Re/cor Recycled Nylon 6,6 Fabric (i.e., ‘Expect More, Waste Less’)

Anniversary milestones of Cordura bags/packs with brand partners include:

  • 1973 – Kelty releases the Serac backpack made with Cordura fabric;
  • 1975 – Kletterwerks adopts Cordura fabric for its line of backpacks;
  • 1978 – JanSport and Eastpak use Cordura fabric for its day pack line;
  • 1983 – Manhattan Portage launches messenger bags with Cordura fabric;
  • 2006 – Sea to Summit’s Ultra Sil Dry Sack features Cordura’s UltraLite Fabric;
  • 2007 – Granite Gear’s Nimbus Meridian backpack feature Cordura Lite Fabric;
  • 2009- Granite Gear, Inc was awarded a five-year contract by U.S. Special Operations Forces to develop and manufacture Chief Patrol backpacks for soldiers featuring Cordura fabrics;
  • 2015 – Manhattan Portage launches “Bags to the Future” 80’s range using Cordura fabrics;
  • 2015 – Meet the Maker series introduced with Cordura x Mystery Ranch;
  • 2015 – Tru-Spec gear (tactical response uniform) plus packs made with Cordura fabric showcased at IDEX military show for the Middle East market;
  • 2021: Cordura lanuched Cordura Fabric Finder;
  • 2021: Cordura brand was selected by Modula Milano to create its first modular backpack adaptable with a simple click and awarded the Golden A’Design Award in the Fashion and Travel Accessories Design Category by the International Design Academy;
  • 2022: Cordura partners with Mystery Ranch to debut Cordura re/cor RN66;
  • 2022: Black Ember announced Cordura re/cor RN66 product adoptions and Japan retail expansion;
  • 2022:  Cordura Advanced Fabrics and Bach Equipment introduce a limited-edition tote bag with Cordura re/cor RN66 in Europe;
  • 2022: Cordura re/cor RN66 Accepted onto Material ConneXion
  • 2023: Cordura Advanced Fabrics x Mystery Ranch collaborate with Dior for 2023 summer men’s collection powered by Cordura re/cor RN66 fabric technology.

Photo courtesy Cordura