Sailcloth & Materials
To make premium travel and accessory sailcloth bags you need to use the very best sailcloth and materials available, and that's just what we did. We spent a great deal of time researching, testing and choosing the materials that we use in our products and, because we're so confident in how we've designed and manufactured our bags, each one comes with a full life-time warranty.
Sailcloth
All True Wind travel and accessory bags are made exclusively with new Dacron® sailcloth – the very best that’s on the market. Yes, we could have used recycled sailcloth, but by using only new sailcloth we're better able to control the overall quality of the fabric including its color, weave and finish. Besides, for the same reasons a sailor would discard an old and used sail (e.g., mildewed, ripped, stained, broken stitches, etc.) we don't believe using recycled cloth is appropriate for a premium product such as ours.
Custom-woven in Ireland by Hood Sailmakers, our high-performance Dacron® sailcloth is the same sailcloth that has been selected to power some of the largest and most prestigious racing, cruising and classic yachts in the world. Founded in the 1950’s by the legendary Ted Hood, Hood Sailmakers pioneered the use of Dacron® for sail making and has been at the forefront of sailcloth manufacturing and sail design ever since.
Strong, durable and resistant to sunlight, abrasion and water, Dacron® sailcloth is an ideal fabric for soft-sided bags. We are, in fact, the only sailcloth bag manufacturer in the world that uses brand name sailcloth. Others use sailcloth they claim is Dacron®, but one can never be certain as to its make and quality.
Crisp and bright in texture and appearance, please know that the new Dacron® sailcloth in your bag will take on a patina over time and soften with use.
Nylon
The durable, colorful nylon that we use on the outside of each bag has been treated with a water repellent coating which helps keep contents and valuables dry and protected. The nylon is color-fast, which means our bags can be machine washed (gentle cycle, cold water) and the colors won't run or fade.
Hardware
The trigger snaps, D-rings and sliders are all solid brass and coated with a nickel finish, which means they will never rust or corrode in the weather.
Zippers
Our bags feature self-repairing nylon coil zippers. Because they are nylon coil, they will never corrode or rust in the weather.
Rope and Webbing
The nylon braided rope used for zipper pulls and drawstrings is marine-grade, as is the nylon webbing which is used for all handles and shoulder straps.
Thread and Stitching
We use the same nylon thread that is used in sailmaking, and all of the seams are either double or triple stitched for added strength. The zigzag stitching found on our bags is the traditional type of stitch that is used to make sails.
Bottom Panel Insert
In some of our bags there is an insert sewn into the bottom panel. This insert provides added strength, protection and rigidity to the bag and is made out of material that will never deteriorate, mildew or corrode. Bags which contain the bottom panel insert can be machine washed.
To learn more about the materials we use, please contact us.
