You have probably seen clothing that says, “100% polyester”. But what is Polyester, and how can it be used? Find out what you need to know about polyester before using it for your project or product.
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Polyester is a synthetic or man-made fiber material. Shortened from its technical name, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which, if born, would be its legal name, is made by mixing ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Made in a lab from chemical compounds, polyester is a kind of plastic.
Used for a countless number of applications for its strength and ability to retain its shape, polyester is a base component for several industrial, commercial, and household products.
And whereas polyester had suffered a bad reputation for its negative effect on the environment, now there are ways to make it more sustainable. Read on to learn more about the power of polyester.
Since polyester is a synthetic fiber, it doesn’t come from a plant like cotton. Instead, polyester is chemically produced from derived compounds. While the process varies depending on the different types of polyester and the manufacturer, there are five basic steps to creating polyester:
Depending on the desired outcome, various ways to modify this production process exist. For example, to produce soft and smooth fabrics, the fibers will be adjusted to create a thin filament. There are also ways to alter the ethylene used in the process. When producing plant-based polyester, the source of ethylene is commonly sugarcane rather than petroleum.
Polyester has numerous attributes, many of which are unique to the fabric. These benefits are why polyester became so popular and is still widely used today. Some important polyester characteristics are:
Like any fabric, polyester has characteristics that may draw consumers away from it or might make the material less ideal for certain applications. For one, most types of polyester aren’t biodegradable, though researchers in textile advancements are striving for polyester that breaks down at the same rate materials such as cotton do.
Polyester also isn’t the most luxurious fabric, which means it can feel coarse on its own. Cheap or poorly made polyester will feel rough, especially on sensitive skin. The texture of polyester can depend on how the fibers were made or tethered together. While some polyester fabrics tend to be coarse and itchy, others can be smooth and silky. Clothing manufacturers can also blend polyester with other materials for a more comfortable garment.
There are a few types of polyester, with the most significant difference being what they’re made of. Some types of polyester are more suitable for particular applications because of their distinct characteristics. Let’s take a closer look at three types of polyester fabric.
Polyethylene terephthalate is the most common type of polyester. Also known as PET, polyethylene terephthalate is the most produced polyester. Polyethylene terephthalate is durable and inexpensive to produce, making it ideal for most applications.
While polyester can be recycled, it’s most often recycled in the form of bottles rather than clothing fibers. Compared to the amount of polyester used in fabrics and clothes, less than 15% is actually recycled and reused in new textiles. That’s where plant-based polyester comes in.
Plant-based polyester is made with bio alternatives to petroleum. The ethylene needed for the polyester comes from plants like sugar cane or bio-waste, or waste that mainly includes organic materials, such as food scraps or sawdust. Using these biodegradable materials helps reduce the use of petroleum resources.
While it’s not produced as heavily as PET due to higher costs, plant-based polyester fabric is biodegradable. This characteristic makes plant-based polyester more sustainable and better for the environment, given that the crops are farmed sustainably. This polyester type may not be as popular or durable as other types; however, it is more environmentally sustainable.
PCDT is similar to PET, though their chemical structures are different. PCDT stands for poly-1, 4-cyclohexylene-dimethylene terephthalate, which is what makes up this polyester. PCDT polyester is less popular than PET, even though it is often more elastic and durable. These properties make this polyester ideal for heavy-duty applications like curtains or upholstery.
Polyester is found in several products and industries. Its durability makes it ideal for various items ranging from clothing to consumer products and industrial applications:
Polyester is also commonly used as stuffing for blankets, bedding, and sleeping bags because of its ability to insulate. Many everyday items are made with polyester, many of which you may not even think about.
The price of polyester fluctuates and largely depends on supply and demand, the quality of the fibers, where you purchase from, and whether the raw materials have been altered already. Before 2016, polyester pricing remained relatively consistent from quarter to quarter, but since then, that stability has been replaced by accelerated movement, exacerbated by the onset of the pandemic.
Polyester pricing is dependent on a few factors:
Price of raw materials – Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET, aka Polyester) is produced by combining Mono- Ethylene Glycol (MEG) and Purified Terephthalic Acid (PTA), found in crude oil. As the price of oil increases, so does the cost of PTA, affecting the cost of polyester.
Ocean Freight – Since China operates about 70% of the world’s industrial polyester production, ocean freight cannot be avoided. As shipping costs increase, so does the cost of polyester. With the pandemic, international shipping has slowed, making the acquisition of polyester difficult, thereby hiking prices.
Market Demand – Although polyester is used in many industries, the automotive sector significantly impacts demand. Used in several components of car production, including seatbelts, tire carcass piles, airbags, hose reinforcement, power transmission belt reinforcement, and interiors; when automobile production slows (currently due to the lack of computer chips), so does the supply of polyester. Overall, the supply/demand equation directly impacts market pricing.
If you’re in the market for polyester fabric solutions, Apex Mills can help. Our fabric specialists have satisfied customers in various fields from health care to the military, achieving the textile solution necessary for their specific needs.
Contact our team today to find out how we can customize a solution for you.
We’re in a fashion crisis: everything is made of polyester. And consequently, everything is awful.
Polyester is a terrible fabric that has ruined fashion. Many designers and manufacturers have chosen to use polyester because it’s cheap. However, while it saves on margins, it sucks for consumers.
“Fast Fashion” refers to clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers to keep up with the latest trends. You might think there’s only four seasons per year, but many fast fashion brands are producing for 12 to 26 seasons per year.
Fast fashion clothing is meant to be disposed of after a few wears, and it’s made accordingly. Expect to find poor design, even worse stitching, and of course, the cheapest fabrics available.
Polyester is the cheapest fabric on the market, and therefore dominates the space of disposable clothing. The problem is, however, when you throw out pieces from your fast fashion wardrobe, they don’t actually disappear. They sit in a landfill.
The reason polyester is so popular is because it’s so affordable. If you’re looking for frugal fashion, this will be one of the leading textiles.
Most lower-priced clothing is made from polyester or polyester blends. However, now I’m even seeing expensive clothing made from it as well! Just because a blouse or dress is high priced, doesn’t mean it’s high quality.
I browse my favorite stores online all the time. It’s especially easy if they have apps where I can just flick through gorgeous dresses to kill time while waiting for the bus or in line at the grocery store. I’d probably be racking up $300 clothing shopping bills every day if it wasn’t for one simple tactic:
Dear polyester, we’re over. xoxo B.I don’t buy clothing made of polyester.
My hatred of polyester has been a long time coming. However, it’s only recently that I have been able to commit to vanquishing it from my life entirely.
It started out innocently enough. A brand new dress I bought felt incredibly hot and uncomfortable whenever I wore it in the summer. What’s it made of? 100% polyester.
I wishfully believed it was just that dress. But as soon as I started paying attention to how my clothes felt and less on how they looked. I noticed a pattern.
Wearing polyester feels about the same as going about your day in a stinky plastic bag
Polyester is uncomfortable and hot. Because it’s essentially a plastic, wearing it on a hot day means your sweat gets trapped between the fabric and your skin, making you hotter.
Unlike natural fabrics like cotton or wool that wick moisture away from the skin to keep you dry, polyester will leave you damp. Or even dripping with sweat.
To add insult to injury, it also holds odors. If you dare sweat in a polyester piece, it’s essentially ruined. Aside from B.O., it will also hold scents from perfume, deodorant. Any other kind of smell from cigarette smoke to pets will also become embedded in the fabric.
There’s no delightful clean scent post laundry to cancel the nasty smells out, either. Polyester seems to selectively hold on to all the bad smells of its lifetime in its threads.
Now whenever I see an adorable dress with a 100%-polyester tag my first thoughts are: “I would be miserable wearing that on any summer day”. Because I would!
I’ve been tricked once or twice. A soft, slinky shirt from Aritzia that I thought was silk was actually just a really fine polyester blend. I was almost fooled by the $100 price tag, but apparently charging a premium for this cheap fabric is par for the course now!
Polyester is tricky like that: it makes you think it’s something it’s not. It is not something you want to put on your body. Resist or pay the price of misery later!
What is made of Polyester? Nearly everything.
Now when I do any shopping online or otherwise, I always check the tag before I buy. If it’s more than 90% polyester, I won’t pay good money for it. Polyester is a mass market favorite because it’s cheap, easy and relatively durable… so long as the wearer isn’t standing next to an open flame or anything.
Polyester is flammable, but you’re unlikely to catch fire even if you are living dangerously. To keep polyester’s desire to ignite under wraps, our clothing is sprayed with toxic flame retardants.
Polyester isn’t the only man-made fabric clothes are made of. In fact, you’re more likely than not to find polyester blended with something else. Other synthetic fabrics to be wary of but I have not yet concluded are as loathsome as polyester:
When it comes to natural fabrics, you have more choices than you might initially think. Some you might want to keep your eye out for are:
Cotton, on the other hand, is this marvelous sort of thing that keeps you cool in the heat and warm in the cold. It washes clean after every wear and emerges smelling like your laundry soap instead of your hairspray. Wool is another one of my faves, but some people are allergic so it’s not always an option.
Silk is a luxurious natural fabric, but can be expensive. Same goes for cashmere. But if you can afford to shell out for these threads, it’s worth doing so.
Good quality clothes are worth the price tag. Not only will the keep you comfortable, they fit well and will stand the test of time.
By avoiding polyester, you can curb wasting money on clothes.
If you tend to spend money on clothing and then regret it, an easy way to curb your spending might be to commit to purchasing clothing that’s made from natural fibres only.
Buying clothing that’s uncomfortable to wear is a waste of money. I know avoiding this one fabric has seriously curbed my daily ModCloth habit.
Do you have any tricks for your comfort and happiness that also boost your budget? Tell me your secrets, readers!
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