Plastics and synthetic fibres: PP, PVC, PU leather and polyester before a custom gift order

The question we hear most is “what is this made of?”. The same card holder can be PU leather, PVC leather or leather. The same drawstring bag can be polyester, nylon or non-woven fabric. The material changes the hand-feel, how long it lasts, how a logo is applied, and the quote. This note covers the plastics and synthetic fibres that show up most often on corporate gifts, each with a product on this site made from that material.

Two groups: plastics and synthetic fibres

Plastics are moulded parts or sheet: boxes, folders, PVC cards, soft keyrings. Synthetic fibres are the same family of polymer drawn into yarn and woven, such as polyester and nylon. The PET in a drinks bottle, drawn into yarn, is polyester, which is why rPET cloth is fabric made from recycled bottles.

PU leather and PVC leather are both synthetic leather: a fabric base coated with polyurethane or PVC, then embossed with a grain. Non-woven fabric is PP fibre bonded with heat. It is not woven.

PP (polypropylene): folders, boxes and non-woven bags

PP is one of the most common gift plastics. Its recycling code is 5. It is light, tough and resists chemicals. It can be folded many times without snapping, which is why folder creases and the living hinge on a box lid are often PP. PP is usually translucent or frosted. It is not as clear as PVC or PET, but it contains no chlorine and handles heat better than PVC or PET. Microwave food boxes are often PP.

Gifts it suits

• Clear or frosted document folders and L-sleeves: PP sheet is tough, so the edges are less likely to split. It is a common office stationery gift.
• Plastic boxes: a large PP box is one of the packing options on the PVC custom USB flash drive page.
• Thin sheet items: the colour mask pouch (two pockets) is 0.2mm PP and can take colour offset printing.
• Non-woven bags: gift non-woven fabric is usually PP spunbond. More on that below.

PVC: rigid PVC and soft PVC are not the same thing

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) has recycling code 3. On its own it is rigid. It becomes soft only after a plasticiser is added. Two products can both be called PVC and still be completely different objects.

Rigid PVC: cards, clear boxes, blister packs

Rigid PVC is clear, stiff and prints well. It shows up as PVC cards, clear boxes, blister packs and clear windows. The PVC luggage tag is an 86×54mm PVC card, printed in colour on both sides. The clear window on the PU leather luggage tag is also PVC.

Soft PVC: soft keyrings, soft USB shells, PVC leather

Soft PVC is flexible. It can be moulded to a logo or a mascot as a soft keyring, a fridge magnet, a coaster, or the shell of a PVC soft USB flash drive. Soft PVC coated onto fabric is PVC leather, used for pencil cases, ID holders and card holders. It is stiffer than PU leather, more scratch-resistant, and easy to wipe.

PU leather: the usual “leather-look” gift material

PU leather is a fabric base coated with polyurethane, then embossed with a grain. It is softer than PVC leather, a little more breathable, and closer to leather in the hand. Colour and thickness are easier to hold steady than with leather, so one batch does not drift as much. When a business gift is described as leather-look, it is usually PU leather.

Products we make in PU leather

• A4 document bag: PU leather, several colours.
• Card holder with a clear window, cross-grain PU card holder and key set, MagSafe PU card holder.
• PU leather luggage tag: gold or silver hot stamp, deboss, screen print or colour print.
• A5 notebook with a strap: leather-look cover, logo can be hot-stamped.
• PU wine bag: logo by debossing.

Polyester: the cloth that takes full-colour sublimation

Polyester is the most common synthetic fibre. It is strong, it resists wrinkles, and it absorbs little water, so it dries quickly. It is the same polymer as PET, which is why there is rPET cloth made from recycled bottles.

For a custom gift, the useful point is dye sublimation across the whole face. Heat drives the ink into the fibre. The hand-feel does not go stiff, and the print is less likely to crack. Sublimation works on polyester, or on a blend with a high polyester share. It does not work on cotton.

• Promotional drawstring bag: polyester, full colour on one side.
• Promotional windbreaker: 100% polyester composite fabric. More styles are in promotional jackets.

Nylon and Oxford cloth: when the item has to take wear

Nylon (polyamide) is more abrasion-resistant than polyester and a bit tougher. The surface has a slight sheen and a slippery hand. Backpacks, passport holders and waist bags use it often. It takes up a little more moisture than polyester, and it is not suitable for sublimation. Logos are usually screen printed or heat transferred. Example: nylon travel passport organiser. More travel items are in travel gifts.

Oxford cloth is a weave, not one fibre. It is often polyester or nylon, with a PU or PVC coating on the back for water resistance. The water-resistant Oxford A4/B4 document bag uses 0.3mm football-grain Oxford cloth.

Other materials you will see: EVA, PET, microfiber, non-woven

EVA

EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam is light, soft and shock-absorbing. It shows up as slippers, yoga blocks, hard-shell cases and packing inserts. The shape is usually moulded. A logo can be debossed, or screen printed on the surface.

PET

PET has recycling code 1. It is clear and stiff. Drinks bottles and clear packing film are the familiar forms. In stationery, the 5-colour PET sticky notes use PET sheet, which does not tear easily, and they suit a large giveaway.

Microfiber

Microfiber usually means fibre finer than 1 denier, often a polyester and nylon blend. Finer fibre means more surface, so it absorbs water, dries quickly and sheds less lint. Sports towels and lens cloths are the common gifts. Example: microfiber sports towel. See the microfiber towel guide or towel gifts.

Non-woven fabric

Gift non-woven fabric is usually PP spunbond: fibre bonded with heat, not woven, so the cost is low and the weight is light. Thickness is quoted in grams per square metre. The non-woven drawstring backpack uses 75g fabric. The dumpling-shaped non-woven shopper uses 150g. More styles are in shopper bags.

Non-woven fabric suits a large, short-term giveaway. A logo is usually screen printed, and fewer colours look cleaner. Full colour can use a laminated non-woven, or switch to polyester for sublimation. Non-woven fabric is not meant for frequent machine washing. Repeated washing raises the nap and the bag loses its shape.

Comparison: plastics and synthetic fibres

Five things to settle before the order

1. How the logo is applied: a full-colour picture wants polyester and sublimation. PU leather suits debossing or hot stamping. PP and non-woven fabric are usually a few screen-print colours. Choose the print method, then the material. The methods are compared in logo printing.
2. How long it will be used: a one-day giveaway is fine in non-woven fabric or PP. A card holder or nylon passport case that someone carries every day lasts much longer.
3. Hand-feel: the same card holder is softer in PU leather than in PVC leather. PVC leather is harder on the surface, but it resists scratches and wipes clean. For a management gift, the hand-feel often matters more than the shape.
4. Recycling: PP and PET are commonly recycled. PVC contains chlorine, so fewer routes take it. If an organisation has an environmental brief, rPET cloth is one option, or a gift that lasts instead of another disposable run.
5. Who uses it: some soft PVC uses phthalate plasticisers. Anything that touches food needs a separate food-contact check.

If the material is not decided, tell us the use, the quantity and the delivery date. We will suggest a material and a print method from the artwork. You can also start from Budget Friendly Gifts or corporate gifts.

Questions on plastics and synthetic fibres

What is the difference between PP and PVC?

PP (recycling code 5) is light, tough and resists folding. It handles heat better and contains no chlorine, so it is the usual material for document folders, plastic boxes and non-woven fabric. PVC (recycling code 3) is clearer. Rigid PVC is used for cards and clear boxes. Soft PVC, with a plasticiser added, is used for soft keyrings, soft USB shells and PVC leather goods.

How do you tell PU leather from PVC leather, and which is the better choice?

Both are coated fabric, not animal leather. PU leather is softer and more breathable, and the hand-feel is closer to leather, which is why card holders, notebooks and document bags often use it. PVC leather is stiffer, more scratch-resistant and easier to wipe. When the hand-feel matters, PU leather is the usual choice. When the surface has to resist scratches and wipe clean, PVC leather fits better.

What is a good way to print a logo on a PU leather gift?

Debossing, a colourless impression, lasts the longest and does not flake. A bright finish can be hot-stamped in gold or silver. A colour logo can be screen printed or UV printed. We suggest the method from the leather colour and the logo artwork.

Which fabric can take a full-colour print?

Polyester can be printed full colour by dye sublimation. The ink goes into the fibre, so the hand-feel stays soft and the print is less likely to crack. Sublimation works on polyester, or on a blend with a high polyester content. Cotton and nylon are generally not suitable.

What is the difference between a non-woven bag and a polyester bag?

Gift non-woven fabric is usually PP fibre pressed with heat. It is not woven, it is light, and the cost is low, so it suits a large giveaway. Logos are usually screen printed in a few colours. Polyester is a woven cloth. It lasts longer, it can be machine washed, and it can take full-colour sublimation. If the bag is meant to be used again, polyester lasts longer.

Which plastics are the more recyclable options?

PP (code 5) and PET (code 1) are commonly recycled plastics. PET can also be turned back into rPET fabric. PVC contains chlorine, so fewer recycling routes take it. In practice, a durable gift that people keep using often matters more than the material name on its own.

Ask for a custom gift quote

Already have artwork or an event date? Tell us the use, the quantity and the delivery date. We will suggest a material and a print method, and reply with a quote.