The iconic Prada backpack is made from nylon. More specifically, Prada’s early backpack designs used Pocono, a tough, waterproof nylon fabric that helped redefine what a luxury handbag could be.
Miuccia Prada introduced the nylon backpacks in the late 1970s, after joining and then taking over the family business. The material was inspired by the industrial nylon used to cover the company’s steamer trunks. Its light weight, durability and water resistance contrasted sharply with the leather traditionally associated with luxury accessories.
The backpack was not an instant success: its high price and unconventional fabric initially made it difficult to sell. That tension eventually became part of Prada’s appeal, turning a practical, almost utilitarian textile into a fashion statement. Prada later extended the same nylon concept to totes, handbags and other accessories.
A common mix-up is calling the material polyester, canvas or leather. Some Prada bags combine nylon with leather trim or use different materials in later collections, but the classic iconic backpack is identified with nylon.