What Is Polyester Fabric?

Polyester is a synthetic fabric that’s usually derived from petroleum. This fabric is

one of the world’s most popular textiles, and it is

used in thousands of different consumer and industrial applications.

Chemically, polyester is a polymer primarily composed of compounds within the ester

functional group. Most synthetic and some plant-based polyester fibers are made from

ethylene, which is a constituent of petroleum that can also be derived from other sources.

While some forms of polyester are biodegradable, most of them are not, and polyester

production and use contribute to pollution around the world.

In some applications, polyester may be the sole constituent of apparel products, but it

’s more common for polyester to be blended with cotton or another natural fiber. Use of

polyester in apparel reduces production costs, but it also decreases the comfortability of

apparel.

When blended with cotton, polyester improves the shrinkage, durability, and wrinkling

profile of this widely-produced natural fiber. Polyester fabric is highly resistant to environmental conditions, which makes

it ideal for long-term use in outdoor applications.

The fabric we now know as polyester began its climb toward its current critical role in

the contemporary economy in 1926 as Terylene, which was first synthesized by W.H. Carothers

in the UK. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, British scientists continued to develop better

forms of ethylene fabric, and these efforts eventually garnered the interest of American

investors and innovators.

Polyester fiber was originally developed for mass consumption by the DuPont

Corporation, which also developed other popular synthetic fibers like nylon. During World

War II, the Allied powers found themselves in increased need of fibers for parachutes and

other war materiel, and after the war, DuPont and other American corporations found a new

consumer market for their synthetic materials in the context of the postwar economic boom.

Initially, consumers were enthusiastic about the improved durability profile of

polyester compared to natural fibers, and these benefits are still valid today. In recent

decades, however, the harmful environmental impact of this synthetic fiber has come to

light in great detail, and the consumer stance on polyester has changed significantly.

Nonetheless, polyester remains one of the most widely-produced fabrics in the world,

and it’s hard to find consumer apparel that doesn’t contain at least some percentage of

polyester fiber. Apparel that contains polyester, however, will melt in extreme heat, while

most natural fibers char. Molten fibers can cause irreversible bodily damage.

Ethylene Polyester

Ethylene polyester (PET) is the most commonly-produced form of polyester fiber. The

primary component of PET is petroleum-derived ethylene, and in the process of creating

polyester fiber, ethylene serves as the polymer that interacts with other chemicals to

create a stable fibrous compound.

There are four ways to make PET fiber, and the polyester production process varies

slightly depending on which method is used:

1.Filament: Polyester filaments are continuous fibers, and these fibers produce

smooth and soft fabrics.

2.Staple: Polyester staples resemble the staples used to make cotton yarn, and

like cotton staples, polyester staples are usually spun into a yarn-like material.

3.Tow: Polyester tow is like polyester filament, but in polyester tow, the

filaments are loosely arranged together.

4.Fiberfill: Fiberfill consists of continuous polyester filaments, but these

filaments are produced specifically to have the most possible volume to make bulky products

like pillows, outerwear, and stuffing for stuffed animals.

The process of creating polyester fiber begins with reacting ethylene glycol with

dimethyl terephthalate at high heat. This reaction results in a monomer, which is then

reacted with dimethyl terephthalate again to create a polymer.

This molten polyester polymer is extruded from the reaction chamber in long strips, and

these strips are allowed to cool and dry, and then they are broken apart in to small

pieces. The resulting chips are then melted again to create a honey-like substance, which

is extruded through a spinneret to create fibers.

Depending on whether filaments, staple, tow, or fiberfill fibers are desired, the

resulting polyester filaments may be cut or reacted with various chemicals to achieve the

correct end result. In most applications, polyester fibers are spun into yarn before they

are dyed or subjected to other post-production processes.

PCDT Polyester

The process of creating PCDT polyester is similar to the process of creating PET

polyester, but this polyester variant has a different chemical structure. While PCDT also

consists of ethylene glycol reacted with dimethyl terephthalate, different production

processes are used to make these two common polyester variations.
Plant-Based Polyester

Most types of plant-based polyester are also made from ethylene glycol reacted with

dimethyl terephthalate. While the source of the ethylene used in PET and PCDT polyester is

petroleum, however, producers of plant-based polyester use ethylene sources like cane sugar

instead.

Chiffon fabric 

Chiffon fabric was

first made in France, but the production of this substance expanded worldwide as the

Industrial Age picked up steam. By the first few decades of the 1900s, silk chiffon was in

relatively wide production in the United States, and producers of this fabric in America

were starting to show interest in replacing silk with another material for chiffon

production.

Crepe fabric 

Crepe fabric has no

clear origin point in the history of human civilization. Since the concept behind crepe is

so simple, many cultures have adopted forms of this fabric at one stage of development or

another. For instance, Crepe is still used by Orthodox Greek women for mourning, and

various cultures of the Indian subcontinent incorporate crepe into their traditional

garments.
Satin Fabric
Satin Fabric refers to the weave of the fabric rather than the material. Satin is one

of the three major textile weaves, along with plain weave and twill. The satin weave

creates a fabric that is shiny, soft, and elastic with a beautiful drape.

Satin fabric is

characterized by a soft, lustrous surface on one side, with a duller surface on the

other side. This is a result of the satin weaving technique, and there are many

variations on what defines a satin weave.

Polyester is not biodegradable

The majority of polyesters are not biodegradable, meaning that the polyester fabric

shirt you bought last season will not decompose for 20 years at best and 200 years at

worst.

What’s more, polyester is partially derived from petroleum, and the oil manufacturing

industry is the world’s largest pollutant.

Polyester dyes are not sustainable

Ever notice how polyester fabrics are stain-resistant? That’s because it takes a

special kind of dye to colour polyester successfully. These dyes, known as disperse dyes,

are insoluble in water. Like polyester, they are made up of a complex molecular structure

that does not readily decompose.

Wastewater from textile factories containing leftover dye is difficult to treat. When

it enters the environment, its toxicity causes serious problems to local plant and animal

life.

In addition to causing environmental problems, polyester dyes are toxic to humans.

Dye workers worldwide report higher incidences of cancers and lung disease than the general

population.

Polyester manufacturing is water-thirsty

Acetate

imitation fabric is created through an energy-intensive heating process and requires

large quantities of water for cooling. If not managed properly, this can result in

groundwater levels dropping and reduced access to clean drinking water, particularly in

vulnerable communities where polyester is often manufactured.

More on those microfibres

Multiple studies have shown that synthetic fibres make up a good share of

microplastics found in waters and are widely implicated as the source of pollution. It’s

been suggested that more than 4,500 fibres can be released per gram of clothing per wash,

according to the Plastic Soup Foundation.

Microfibres are so tiny they can easily move through sewage treatment plants. They do

not biodegrade and bind with molecules from harmful chemicals found in

wastewater. They are then eaten by small fishes and plankton, concentrating toxins and

going up the food chain until they reach us. The consequences of microfibres on the human

body have yet to be researched and revealed. Until then, here are our top tips on

dealing with microfibres in clothing.

What Is Polyester Used For

Georgette

printed fabric, as we all know, is often used for clothing, nowadays its more common

to find blended cotton and polyester than full polyester. The main reason for this is the

lack of breathability in pure polyester, and frankly few people like the look now. Blended

fabrics also retain many of the benefits of polyester; being more resistant to wrinkling,

having more stretch, and sometimes more resistant to wear.

Outside of fashion, polyester is used for a great variety of products; the most common

being plastic bottles and containers. Some others include sailcloth, canoes, tarpaulin,

LCDs, insulating tapes, various items for film, ropes, cord, and more. Polyester is also

commonly used as a finish to high-quality wood products like pianos, guitars, and vehicle

interiors (which is then polished to a glossy, durable finish).