Are you baffled by the type of material that your luggage has been manufactured from? Are you not sure what the difference is between polycarbonate, ABS or Samsonite CURV©? Worry not, because we’ve got the ultimate guide to the materials used in hard shell luggage.

What are hard suitcases made from?

Before we get into the pros and cons of hard-sided luggage, we’ll give a quick overview of the types of materials used to create that hard outer shell. There are several types of materials used when manufacturing a suitcase, each with their own unique benefits. Some customers know exactly what type of material they want their suitcase to be made from, but for most of our customers, they don’t know but that’s where we can help.

Our guide below will hopefully make it easier for our customers to navigate through the various materials on offer and make an informed decision on what would best suit their needs.

• Polypropylene
• Polycarbonate
• ABS
• Metal
• CURV© (Samsonite only)
• Roxkin™ (Samsonite only)
• Recycled material hard shell outers
• Hybrid

Polypropylene suitcases

Polypropylene is everywhere in our homes, and you’ve probably never even realised it! From food containers such as our beloved fresh cream from the supermarket, to rugs, carpets and even some clothing. We won’t go into the science behind how it is made as we’ll be here forever, but it is essentially, a type of synthetic resin.

Although generally heavier than some of the other hard shell suitcase materials, polypropylene has plenty of benefits such as being affordable and extremely strong. As a side note, the material used in Samsonite CURV© suitcases is made from a polypropylene-type material, but we’ll cover that one later. 

Polycarbonate suitcases

Polycarbonate is the material that is generally used in roofing sheets. You know the stuff that’s see-through but a hard plastic? That’s polycarbonate. It is also used commonly for eye protection, car headlamp lenses, mobile phone cases and riot masks!

One of the key benefits of suitcases made from polycarbonate is that the material is quite flexible, in addition to being strong and lightweight. However, with the benefits, polycarbonate suitcases are often more expensive than suitcases made from polypropylene or ABS.

ABS Suitcases

ABS or Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (If we want to use its posh name) is a type of polymer. It’s a bit more complex than that but for now, we’ll stick to secondary school science terms. From a cost point of view, ABS sits somewhere in the middle of the offerings. It is neither the cheapest, nor the most expensive, nor is it the strongest or lightest so is a good choice for the traveller who wants an excellent all-round budget suitcase option.

Being a bit of a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’, ABS doesn’t excel in anything when it comes to testing but what it can offer is a flexible, pliable, reasonably lightweight hard outer shell for a suitcase, at a good price. It is also quite scratch resistant, so suitcases generally continue to look great for years after their purchase.

Samsonite CURV© suitcases

Samsonite created their own CURV© material by utilising the properties that polypropene has and remanufacturing into a completely new type of material that is exceptionally lightweight, extremely tough and able to cope with being thrown about. We do not advocate throwing your suitcase around but… You know, it’s handy to know if the need ever arises!

We’re not going to lie, Samsonite CURV© material suitcases are not cheap. However, if you are a frequent flyer and need a suitcase that has a very long warranty (10 years) CURV© could be a great choice. As an example of its lightness, the Samsonite Lite-Shock 55cm Cabin Suitcase weighs in at just 1.8kg, a similar sized polycarbonate suitcase can be around the 2.3kg – 2.5kg mark, meaning more packing weight. And if you’re anything like our ecommerce team, that extra weight allowance means more allowance for more shoes! CURV© is also resistant to extreme temperatures and in tests retained its shape at 125° to -100°.

Samsonite Roxkin™ suitcases

Samsonite Roxkin™ material is an advanced, multi‑layer polypropylene luggage shell engineered by Samsonite to offer an exceptional balance of strength, durability and lightweight performance. This innovative material is designed to absorb and recover from impacts, helping cases retain their shape even after rough handling on long journeys. It is fully recyclable and manufactured with precision in Samsonite’s European facilities, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to quality and sustainable travel solutions. Roxkin’s resilient construction makes it ideal for travellers seeking robust yet lightweight luggage that stands up to everyday use and adventure.

Sustainable hard-shell suitcases

Although technically a polypropylene suitcase, we felt that suitcases made from recycled materials deserved a special mention in our hard shell uggage blog. Internationally, we are becoming more aware of the effects that we have on our environment and that’s why our more sustainable suitcase options are a great choice for the traveller who likes to feel like they are doing their bit to promote recycling and who relishes the thought being kind to the environment. Who wouldn’t!

These recycled suitcases have been manufactured from a repurposed polypropylene material that would otherwise had been classed as a ‘waste product’. Many of these suitcases also have added environmentally friendly additions such as recycled wood waste details and internal linings that have been made from RPET recycled bottles or other waste by-products.

Metal suitcases

The vast majority of suitcases made from metal are constructed using aluminium. Aluminium suitcases are not over common, but we do have some available. We’re all pretty familiar with aluminium, so it doesn’t really need any formal introductions into what it is or any fancy names for it and with it being a naturally occurring metal, we don’t have to go into the nitty gritty of the science behind it.

Aluminium suitcases are probably about the toughest and most hard-wearing suitcases that you can buy, however, although aluminium is one of the lightest metals around, these types of suitcases are a lot heavier than their plastic or resin shell counterparts. Aluminium Luggage is generally also more expensive than other materials.

Hybrid suitcases

Hybrid luggage has a shell that has been made from a hard material such as polycarbonate, polypropylene or ABS with a soft, material shell such as nylon or polyester. Generally speaking, the rear of the suitcase will have been made from the hard material and the front from the soft, although it is not uncommon to have frames made from a hard material, which is then covered with a soft material. We have also seen suitcases that have a base panel that has been made from polycarbonate.

Hybrid Suitcases are not as common as they were 4 or 5 years ago but they are a great choice for the traveller who needs a more rigid structure but who does not want to compromise on weight, making them a good lightweight luggage option.

Which is your choice of hard-shell luggage?

Hopefully, this information on hard-side suitcases will enable you to make an informed decision about what type of hard shell material you would like your new suitcase to be made from and what each type of material has to offer. However, if you are still undecided on what might be best for your needs, please get in touch with a member of our expert team and we'll be delighted to help you choose your new item of hard sided luggage.