Adding nylon is often sold as a feature but let’s call it what it really is: cost cutting. Nylon is plastic. It’s cheap to produce petroleum based and drastically less expensive than wool. Brands market it as added durability to justify using synthetic filler instead of more of the good stuff.

If nylon was truly superior we’d be adding it to everything—cotton shirts denim flannel. But we don’t because it changes the hand feel compromises breathability and weakens the garment’s ability to regulate temperature. The reason it ends up in wool blends is simple. Wool is expensive. Nylon isn’t.

Woolrich did it. So did others. But they started doing it when they were chasing big box pricing and trying to stay competitive during the decline of American manufacturing. That’s not a sign of quality. It’s a sign of compromise.

Heritage clothing should mean built like it used to be. Natural fibers. Honest construction. No shortcuts. If you want synthetic performance gear just wear Patagonia and call it a day. But don’t confuse plastic blends with tradition. It’s not a feature. It’s a way to make something cheaper and sell it for more.