The term backpack was coined in the United States in the early part of the 20th century China PVC fabric. They can also be referred to as rucksacks, bodypack, bags, packs or sacks. Backpacks were around before the 20th century, of course. People have been carrying bags on their backs since ancient times as carrying stuff with your back is much easier than any other way.

Cordura is a brand name for the fabric that makes up a large portion of the luggage in the world. You probably know it as the "fabric on my backpack no one ever bothered to think of a name for", but they have and it's Cordura. Any typical backpack is made from Cordura, a nylon fabric that was invented by DuPont Chemical, originally for use in military tires. Its greatest asset is its durability, which is important for backpacks as they tend to be treated roughly, tossed on the ground, and used in games of catch by kids everywhere. Kodra is a similar even more durable fabric from Korea, usually used for bottom of backpacks.

Backpacks used to be made out of cotton canvas that was given a wax coating to make it waterproof. However, this presented a couple of problems. First of all, the packs would be prone to rotting if stored for a long period of time, a problem that was fixed with the advent of nylon bags commonly seen today. They were also terribly heavy, which is never good for a carrying device.

Nylon is used now for backpacks nearly exclusively. However, as waterproofing is almost always necessary for backpacks these days, the nylon is treated with a plastic containing PVC or polyurethane that keeps all your possessions nice and dry in your beautiful backpack. Coating fabrics with PVC is very common for work clothing these days and PVC fabric is cheaper than other forms of waterproof materials.

There are upsides and downsides to waterproofing. Waterproofing doesn't let your backpack breathe, which means mildew can fester and ruin materials, clothes, books, or anything else you carry in your backpack. However, waterproofing allows you to keep your materials dry in the first place, so as long as you remember to air out your backpack waterproof is probably the best way to go.

Backpacks have been around forever, its one idea that's hard to really improve upon PVC fabric manufacturer. However, backpacks today are better than ever as they can be made for whatever your needs are.