The materials used in the Billingham bags
Information
We choose the very best materials and use them in a way that takes maximum advantage of their natural properties, then manufacture the product to precise quality standards. That's why Billingham bags have solid brass fittings, top-grain leather, the best threads and fittings we can find - and a reputation to match.
Most of the materials we use are exclusive to us in some way or other: it may be simply their colour, or because of the special manufacturing process they go through and the finishes we apply. When we can't find the exact material we need, we design and commision our own.
As well as working closely with our suppliers to improve each aspect of a material's performance, we also co-operate with them to ensure that every delivery of material into our workshop meets our exacting quality specifications. We are members of SATRA, an international organisation who help us ensure the materials and production methods we use result in the highest quality products. Hard wearing materials can be abrasive and sometimes damage clothing, so our canvas has been chosen to avoid these problems. The Martindale test, shown on the left, is used to test for abrasion resistance.
The UK can be a pretty wet place much of the time, so it isn't surprising that Billingham bags started life being very resistant to rainwater. In a recent Maeser test, pictured on the right, Billingham Stormblock Canvas was first aged and then flexed in water over 100,000 times. There was no sign of water ingress and the canvas was defined as waterproof, so confirming our confidence in the material as suitable for production.
FibreNyte
At Billingham, we are always looking for better ways of doing the things we do by improving our materials and processes.Many of our products have been subject to change over time as suppliers have found better ways of doing the things they do.
Our customers demand tougher bags that are also lighter - New and exclusive to Billingham; FibreNyte is recommended to Professional Photographers who need a tough, hard wearing fabric for extreme conditions.
The material is purely synthetic, it has excellent abrasion resistance while remaining supple.We've found a solution that is softer than other man made fabric.
FibreNyte is a high performance, super durable fabric which is bonded to a polyester lining using Billingham StormBlock butyl rubber and weighs 10% less than our traditional canvas.
FibreNyte is more colourfast because the dyes can be bonded to the material more easily. The black stays black and the Khaki stays Khaki.
Offering every benefit of our Traditional Canvas, with advancements suited to modern life and ways of working – FibreNyte.
Designed for Life
The protection provided by a soft bag comes about through the careful use of closed-cell foams and the inherent pliability of the Billingham StormBlock canvas. Our SuperFlex inserts keep cameras and lenses protected and separated from each other. We have designed them in such a way that they simply move out of the way when pushed, allowing the bag to mould itself to the wearer's shape. Stiffening and shape are given to the bag by the way we cut and stitch the material so that they naturally hold their shape.
We cut the panels of our bags in specific ways to take advantage of the material's ability to withstand the stresses inflicted on it by the weight of cameras and passage of time. Not only are our bags strong and durable, they are also genuinely soft and will mould snugly to your body.