Fabric and Hardware

Fabric

At Wilderness Threadworks we choose the fabric for each bag depending on its intended use. This ranges from ultralight through to heavy duty. These fabrics have been tested by us so we know what is going to work best for your needs.

Lightweight

Sailcloth companies such as Challenge Sailcloth and Dimension Polyant are breaking ground in high performance, recycled outdoor fabrics. Finding the balance between light weight, strength and durability.

We predominately use Challenge sailcloth EPX200 and UltraGrid fabrics.

EPX200 is highly waterproof, has great abrasion resistance, a firm hand feel, and weighs 216 gsm. UltraGrid has a lower waterhead rating than EPX200, has twice the abrasion resistance and a much softer hand feel than EPX200, and weighs 146 gsm.

For backpacks we recommend using EPX200 for the body for extra water resistance and Ultragrid for the bottom section and side pockets to maximise abrasion resistance in the high wear areas.

For maximum weight savings we recommend Ultragrid for all components of the pack.

ECOPAK™ EPX200

ECOPAK™ EPX200 by Challenge Sailcloth is a laminate fabric made from 100% recycled polyester. It uses a 200d polyester face, waterproof polyester film with 45° cross laminate and 70d inner lining.

- All components of the ECOPAK™ laminates are made from 100% recycled polyester. This means that metre for metre, over 20 plastic bottles are recycled and more than 450g of carbon dioxide is saved.

- The outer fabric is made from REPREVE® yarns collected in the ocean, all other components are made from used PET bottles

- Only FC-free C0 impregnations are used.

- No VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are used in the production of ECOPAK™, all adhesives are solvent-free

- Because ECOPAK™ is made from 100% polyester, it is recyclable

Black

ULTRAGRID™

UltraGrid™ from Challenge Sailcloth is a high-performance pack fabric made from recycled nylon. The focus here is on lightness, tear resistance and sustainability. The 210 denier base fabric consists of 100% recycled nylon. For reinforcement and weight reduction, a double Ultra grid made of highly tear-resistant UHMWPE (also known as Dyneema® or Spectra®) is woven in. On the inside, the UltraGrid has a PU coating. The impregnation used here is an FC-free C0 impregnation.

When designing the UltraGrid™, Challenge Sailcloth focused on sustainability as well as performance:
- The 210den nylon base fabric comes from 100% pre-consumer industrial waste.
- Only FC-free C0 impregnations are used.