Polyester/Lycra vs. Nylon/Lycra

[JamesSwim]

Agonswim's web site says that many so-called Nylon/Lycra swimsuits in the past were actually made of Polyester/Lycra. Polyester does not absorb water, holds colors better and is softer. Nylon is sturdier but the Lycra falls apart before anyhow, so sturdiness may be moot.

Anyone know why Poly/Lycra has fallen out of favor?

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

The Nylon suits of the past were really all Nylon. Lycra was not around until the the 70's, thanks to our friends at Dupont, who created it. Before the Nylon suits, suits were made of wool... I think Speedo started putting lycra in their suits sometime in the middle to late 70's, could have even been early 1980's. Poly lycra has gone out of favor becasue poly has about the same wear strength as lycra, and is more stretchy, so the suits did not hold up well.

[JamesSwim]

Thanks. That makes sense. I suppose the manufacturers will basically make things that the customers preferred.

But on the other hand, I thought that manufacturers will want suits to not last as long, so that we buy more!

But the Agonswim poly/lycra suit that wore was good -- it fit well.
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For background:

I did a web search and found this science fair comparison (thanks to fabrics from Tyr), but can't tell if this compared suits that had Lycra, or was 100% Nylon or Poly.

http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2006/Projects/J1107.pdf
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By the way, here's what their web site says. I was slightly wrong -- they said that 100% poly suits were often called "Nylon" in the past. But maybe the info on hydrophobic polyester applies to Poly/Lycra suits too.

http://www.agonswim.com/fabricsnew.cfm

Knit Polyester:
100% knit polyester is soft to the touch and quick drying. It is similar to the “nylon” swimsuits manufactured back in the 60s and 70s. It is very durable and does not degrade in chlorine.

and

Polyester versus Nylon:
Polyester is hydrophobic, meaning it does not absorb water. This means that when it is dyed, only the color of the dye dissolves into the fabric (not any water-base), making the dye permanent. Nylon® possesses hydrophilic qualities (that is, it absorbs water). Its inability to repel water causes the fabric to swell and ultimately weakens the molecular structure. The dyestuffs used on nylon® tend to oxidize, a reaction which is catalyzed by light. The microscopic effects range from color fading to complete degradation of the polymer matrix. This is why the colors fade in nylon-lycra® swimsuits over time, but do not fade in polyester-lycra® swimsuits (Man-Made Fiber Yearbook, August 2000).
from

http://www.agonswim.com/fabrics/fabricInformationGuide.cfm

[Lap Counter]

One of the best features of the old all-nylon Speedos was that they dried almost instantly.