Material

Choosing a luggage material for your market

Shell material sets the price band, the net weight and how the case survives an airport baggage system. For volume lines the usual answer is polycarbonate (PC) for impact resistance at low weight, or PC+ABS where a lower tooling cost matters more than the last few grams. Polypropylene (PP) gives a scratch-tolerant matte finish, aluminum and aluminum-magnesium frames sit above those on price and rigidity, and leather or fabric constructions suit buyers who need a textile look over a rigid frame.

How buyers usually decide

Two questions settle it: the retail price the range has to hit, and how light the case must be. A heavier shell at the same size eats into airline cabin allowances, so material and size band have to be chosen together rather than one after the other.

Working with CLK

We produce PC, PC+ABS and PP shells and build aluminum-frame, hybrid and soft-side constructions for OEM and ODM programmes, with logo, colour and trim options on every range. Tell us the target price band and size range and we will propose the shell, frame and trim that fit. MOQ is 200 pieces per model.

Luggage material selection by job

Shell material sets the price band, the net weight and how the case survives an airport baggage system. Read it against the job each material is chosen for.

MaterialWhat buyers choose it for
Polycarbonate (PC)Impact resistance at low weight - the usual answer for volume lines.
PC+ABSWhere a lower tooling cost matters more than the last few grams.
Polypropylene (PP)A scratch-tolerant matte finish.
Aluminum / aluminum-magnesium framesSit above PC and PC+ABS on price and rigidity.
Leather or fabric constructionsFor buyers who need a textile look over a rigid frame.

How buyers usually decide

Two questions settle the choice, and they have to be answered together rather than one after the other:

QuestionWhy it decides the material
What retail price must the range hit?Material sets the price band.
How light must the case be?A heavier shell at the same size eats into airline cabin allowances, so material and size band are chosen together.

CLK produces PC, PC+ABS and PP shells and builds aluminum-frame, hybrid and soft-side constructions for OEM and ODM programmes, with logo, colour and trim options on every range. MOQ 200 pieces per model.

Related reading: Luggage Materials Compared | PC, ABS, PP, Aluminum & Fabric – CLK · Aluminum vs PC vs PP Luggage | Trade-offs for Premium Brands – CLK · PC vs ABS vs PP Luggage Shells | Material Comparison - CLK