I don’t think people give enough credit to nylon. Everyone’s raving about polyester; spandex has its uses; even viscose gets a mention here and there.
But the man-made fabric that often gets under the radar is good ol’ nylon.
One of the best things about nylon is its quick-drying properties.
Nylon dries very quickly compared to other fabrics. Indoors, it would take about 4-6 hours before a nylon garment becomes completely dry. In the sun, that time reduces to 2 hours or less.
And even better, it can be easily hung on a clothesline!
But to check whether nylon is truly a fast drying fabric, I had to compare it with other popular fabrics such as cotton, polyester and more.
So I did a little test.
How Long does Nylon take to dry?
The length of time it takes for nylon to dry will depend on a few factors, such as the humidity and temperature of the air, as well as the thickness and weight of the nylon item.
In general, lightweight nylon items such as shirts or shorts will dry relatively quickly, in around 1-2 hours when hung out to dry in the sun or air. Heavier nylon items like camping tents, or camping gear will take longer to dry, around 2-4 hours.
In humid weather, it may take slightly longer for nylon to dry, but it will still dry much faster than cotton or other natural fabrics. Under normal humidity, lightweight nylon items will dry in 2-3 hours, whereas heavier items will take about 3-5 hours or more.
Using a dryer can also speed up the drying process, but It’s important to check the care label of the nylon item, as some nylon garments may not be suitable for machine drying, as the heat of the dryer may damage the fabric.
Overall, nylon is a good choice of fabric when you need something that dries quickly and can be used for outdoor and sport activities.
Does nylon dry faster than cotton?
Nylon dries a lot faster than cotton. On average, it dries about 3 times quicker than cotton.
| Fabric | Nylon | Cotton |
| Time taken to dry indoor | 3 hours | 8 hours |
| Time taken to dry outdoor | 1 hour | 3 hours |
To conduct this test, I decided to use two old floral cuban-collared shirts that I own (One can never have too many Hawaiian shirts). Both were exactly the same size and shape. The only difference was that one was 100% cotton and the other was 100% nylon.
The nylon garment dried 3 times faster than the cotton garment. The cotton one took 3-8 hours depending on the conditions, but the nylon garment only took 1-3 hours.
How Long Does Cotton Take to dry?
The length of time it takes for cotton to dry will depend on a few factors, such as the humidity and temperature of the air, as well as the thickness and weight of the cotton item.
In general, cotton items that are lightweight and thin, such as t-shirts or blouses, will dry more quickly than heavier, thicker items like towels or jeans.
In warm and dry weather, lightweight cotton items will typically dry in 2-3 hours when hung out to dry in the sun. Heavier cotton items such as towels will take longer around 4-6 hours.
If the air is humid, it can take longer for cotton to dry. Under normal humidity, lightweight cotton items will dry in 4-6 hours, whereas heavier items will take about 6-8 hours or more.
It’s worth noting that drying cotton in a dryer will speed up the process, but it’s not always recommended as the heat from a dryer can cause shrinkage, lose color and in some cases affect the texture of the cotton.
When hanging cotton items to dry, it’s important to make sure they have enough space so air can circulate around them, and to keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent fading.
Does nylon dry faster than polyester?
Polyester dries faster than nylon. On average, polyester dries about 1.5 times quicker than nylon.
| Fabric | Nylon | Polyester |
| Time taken to dry indoor | 3 hours | 2 hours |
| Time taken to dry outdoor | 1 hour | 40 minutes |
Again, I took the nylon cuban-collared shirt and put it to test against a polyester blend cuban-collared shirt (I guess I do have a lot of Hawaiian shirts).
The polyester garment dried 1.5 times faster than the nylon garment. The nylon shirt took 1-3 hours to dry while polyester one took 40 minutes-2 hours depending on the drying conditions.
how fast does polyester dry?
Polyester is a synthetic fabric that is known for its quick-drying properties. It is made from synthetic fibers that are hydrophobic, meaning they do not absorb water easily. This makes it dry faster than many natural fabrics like cotton.
In general, polyester items will dry much faster than cotton. Lightweight polyester items such as t-shirts or blouses will typically dry in 1-2 hours when hung out to dry in the sun or air. Heavier polyester items like hoodies or jackets will take a bit longer, around 2-3 hours.
If the air is humid, it can take slightly longer for polyester to dry, but it will still dry much faster than cotton. Under normal humidity, lightweight polyester items will dry in 2-3 hours, whereas heavier items will take about 3-4 hours or more.
Similar to cotton, drying polyester in a dryer will speed up the process and is generally safe as polyester is less prone to shrinkage, and keeping shape, unlike cotton.
It’s important to check the care label of the polyester item, as some polyester garments may not be suitable for machine drying, as the heat of the dryer may damage the fabric.
In general polyester is a good choice of fabric when you are in a rush and need something to dry fast.
Why does nylon dry so quickly?
Time for a bit of a chemistry lesson, kids.
Most fabrics can be classified into two categories – hydrophobic and hydrophilic.
Hydrophobic basically means that the molecules of the material can’t form a bond with hydrogen. Thus, they also cannot form a strong bond with water (H2O).
Nylon, like other synthetic fabrics, is very quick to dry because it is hydrophobic in nature. Water molecules just can’t make a strong long-lasting bond with hydrogen.
Cotton and other natural fabrics are hydrophilic in nature, that is, they can easily make bonds with hydrogen molecules. Consequently, cotton garments take much longer to dry.
How to make the nylon fabric dry faster?
- Wring out the excess water. Make sure than the garment is not dripping wet.
- If you are in a pinch and don’t have access to a dryer, you can use a hairdryer to dry the extremely wet spots.
- Hang the garment on a clothesline that gets adequate sunlight. Make sure to hang it when the sun is at its peak.
- Put the damp garment on an ironing board, and put a pressing cloth over it.
- Iron the pressing cloth and make sure there is no direct application of heat to the nylon garment.
- Do this only when it’s an emergency; otherwise just put the nylon garment on a clothesline for a few hours and you would be fine.
Final thoughts
Nylon is a great summer fabric that you should use more often. It is lightweight and quick-drying, and is also perfect for travelling purposes.
When blended with the right fabrics, nylon can become even better. Cotton-nylon blends are ruling the market right now, and they offer the best of both worlds – natural and man-made.
My name is Alex Higson and I am the founder of Magic Of Clothes. I have worked in the fashion industry for many years, and clothes and style are a huge part of my life.