Nylon and polyester are the only quick-dry beach fabrics worth considering.

Yes. If you are packing for travel and want something dry by morning, look for nylon or polyester. Everything else is either too slow (cotton, linen) or too fragile (rayon, modal) for the beach.

Nylon dries faster than polyester and feels silkier, but it can get stinky if you don’t rinse it. Polyester is more durable and less likely to smell, but it feels slightly rougher against skin. Both dry in under an hour in direct sun. Neither holds water like cotton does.

The trap is “performance cotton” or “quick-dry cotton” — that’s marketing. It still soaks up water and takes hours to dry. Also, avoid anything with spandex above 15%. Four-way stretch is nice, but too much spandex means the fabric stays damp longer and holds odor.

For your next beach trip: a nylon trunks and a polyester rash guard. That’s it. Dries fast, packs small, won’t ruin your second day because the swimsuit is still wet.