Innovation in Luggage Materials

Q1. What is important when selecting the right material for a hardside suitcase?

Three criteria are really important to consumers: strength, weight, and design.

Generally, consumers put strength first and still have a little reluctance toward ultra-light materials, as they don’t perceive them as strong enough due to their lack of stiffness.

However, not all consumers see these criteria in the same sequence. For example, aluminum offers a very different design, is strong, but weighs a lot!

Q2. What materials are commonly used?

When I started in the business, almost all hardside suitcases were made out of ABS, a thermoformed plastic. It had a number of disadvantages, not least a lack of stiffness, which required the use of a frame. This made the suitcase very heavy.

In response to that, brands switched to polypropylene, which they injection-molded into light and strong suitcases. Millions of those have been sold and are still being sold. The issue with polypropylene is that it scores low on the design criterion and is still on the heavy side. New models also require heavy investments.

As a result, a number of brands started introducing polycarbonate suitcases. This material is both light and strong and offers a lot of room for design variations. The investments to create new models are a fraction of those for polypropylene cases, and as a result, polycarbonate has become the favorite material of designers and consumers alike.

Q3. What are the latest evolutions?

As already mentioned, aluminum has developed into quite an important niche material for those consumers who crave the cool look and the tribe feeling.

As it is heavy and expensive, other brands have invested in materials that allow them to make the “lightest” suitcases. Also based on more complex plastics, they offer superior lightness and great strength but score low on the design criterion.

Other brands use more sustainable materials such as recycled plastics or natural sources.

Q4. What material does Vocier use and why?

Vocier uses the highest-grade polycarbonate for its Vantage, Elevate, and Velocity collections.

We do this because it offers the best balance between strength and light weight while at the same time allowing us to express our brand identity by incorporating our key features, such as the Fast Pass compartment.

Q5. What can we expect for the future?

The next frontier in the luggage industry is the hardside case made out of carbon fiber. This material is extremely strong, light, and offers a unique look.

Its use in the high-tech world of ultra-performance Formula 1 car racing has certainly brought it further into the spotlight, but it has proven very difficult to mold the material into an acceptable suitcase design.

Vocier has partnered with a top carbon fiber specialist firm and will be launching a carbon fiber suitcase in the spring of 2026.

Stay tuned!