Polyester Facts: Learn More About This Super Strong Fiber

Clothing is a basic need of our life as it protects us from heat, rain, and cold.

We wear clothes according to the occasion, climate, and present fashion trends. These clothes are prepared from thin, flexible, and long thread-like fibers.

The fibers obtained from natural sources like plants and animals are called natural fibers. Silk, cotton, and wool are examples of natural fibers.

Other than these natural fibers, there are fibers artificially synthesized with the help of chemicals, machines and technologies in textile industry. These fibers are called artificial fibers or synthetic fibers. Nylon, rayon, and polyester are a few examples of artificial fibers.

First clothes were made from natural materials such as animal skin, grass, fur, shell, and bones. When people in the Neolithic Age discovered the benefits of woven fibers over animal skins, making of cloth emerged as one of the fundamental developments of humans.

Polyester fabric was not popular long back. Our grandparents clothed in animal and plant-based materials, and by the end of World War II, natural fibers accounted for nearly 80% of fiber consumed.

During the '40s, chemical advances introduced artificial fibers, and gradually the choice shifted from cotton to artificial fibers which production methods were cheaper and faster. Now, polyester production industry dominates the fashion industry with an annual turnover of about 52 million metric tons globally.

Characteristics Of Polyester

Polyester fiber has different characteristics, like excellent wash and wear performance, shape retention, wrinkle resistance, good elasticity, and many more. As a result, the use of polyester fiber has increased in all kinds of apparel fabrics.

All fabrics, from leather to velvet, organza to silk, have unique characteristics that determine their uses. Most synthetic fabrics are very durable as they are resilient to shrinking and stretching, resistant to most chemical changes, abrasions, and are mildew resistant. Polyester has prominent characteristics, which makes it very popular.

First is its durability. Polyester fabric is extremely strong. It is also a well-known fabric in functional clothing and workout apparel because of its breathable and lightweight characteristics.

Polyester is moisture resistant too. These fibers wick away moisture rather than soak it up, thus resisting liquid droplets. Polyester has become a popular material for outdoor gear like tents and clothing, which requires keeping off rain and precipitation. It is also stain-resistant due to its ability to resist moisture.

These synthetic fibers are quick-drying as they are hydrophobic in nature, and they can also be used to manufacture hollow fiber for insulation purposes. Above all, pure polyester can retain its shape and is good for making clothes that can be used for harsh outdoor climate.

Last but not the least, these fabrics can be washed and dried easily. Polyester does not have a luxurious feel. Cheaply made polyester has a coarse feel to sensitive skin.

There are several methods to create a polyester fabric that affects the texture. Some types of polyester, like China silk, feel as smooth as satin.

Uses Of Polyester

The earliest and most widespread use of polyester fabric was to make polyester suits in the '70s. The strength and tenacity of polyester are useful in making ropes in the industry. PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) bottles are one of the popular innovations of the synthetic material, polyester.

There are many instances of use of polyester fabric in clothing and fashion. Polyester fabric is used to produce clothes and home furnishings, like furniture, bedspread, pillows, sheets, curtains, and even carpets.

Disco clothing, with all its flash and jazz of the '70s, was made of polyester. Polyester fabric has good durability and high tenacity, thus making it ideal for damp environments.

Polyester is also coated with a water-resistant finish, which increases the hydrophobic nature further. Polyester fiber is used in the famous polyester suits, slacks, undergarments, permanent press shirts, felts, and tire cords.

The insulating polyester fiberfill products are used in sleeping bags, climbing suits, parkas, and other outdoor gear, specially by the climbers. It is the most heavily recycled polymer.

Windsurfers use dry suits lined with polyester fleece during winter. To add, polyester fabric creates insulation and helps keep the body warm during cold weather. Moreover, polyester clothing is wrinkle-resistant and used widely for daily wear in the form of shirts, tops, pants, and skirts.

Polyester is the choice of fabric and fiber for many industries and it is known for a wide variety of uses. While clothing was the most popular use of polyester fabric earlier, there are now many other uses.

Common use of polyester today is the manufacture of cheap and shatterproof plastic bottles, a boon to different beverage industries.

A little-known use of polyester is in the manufacture of pretty decorated balloons that are gifted on special occasions. These are made of a kind of polyester called Mylar manufactured by DuPont.

Composition Of Polyester

Polyester, which is a synthetic fiber, is usually derived from petroleum. This fabric is used in thousands of industrial and consumer applications, and it is one of the most popular fabrics used globally. It is known by its trivial name, PET, which is familiar to common man.

Polyester is made up of polymers of long-chain formed . It is obtained from coal, air, water, and petroleum.

This synthetic material was developed in a laboratory in the 20th century, and it was formed due to a reaction between alcohol and an acid. In the reaction, two or more molecules combine and form a larger molecule, whose structure is repeated throughout the length of the chain.

The components of polyester are purified terephthalic acid (in some cases, it may be dimethyl terephthalate) and monotheluene glycol.

Polymers are synthetic fibers made from multiple units of chemical structure linked to each other by ester groups. Polyester is also called thermoplastic, which means it can be melted and reformed. They have a vast range of practical applications and display various properties.

Polyester And Sustainability

Polyester is a type of common plastic with a wide range of uses, extending beyond the fashion industry. It is third in rank among the most commonly used plastic worldwide, the popular ones are polyethylene (water bottles and packaging) and polypropylene (stationary, ropes, and banknotes).

Much of polyester is not biodegradable and as it is partially derived from petroleum, it is one of the largest pollutants. A special dye known as 'disperse dye' is used to color this synthetic fiber, which is insoluble in water and does not decompose readily.

So, this wastewater from textile factories is difficult to treat due to the presence of leftover dye. The toxicity of this dye causes serious problems to the local plant and animal life when it enters the environment through water streams.

They are toxic to humans too. Dye workers are reported to be suffering from lung diseases and cancer worldwide.

A team from Plymouth University researched for 12 months on synthetic materials by washing them in domestic washing machines using varieties of detergents to analyze the microfibers released. It was found that an average load could release a huge amount of fiber from polyester than from other cotton blended fabrics.

Water-thirsty polyester manufacturing industry results in the dropping of groundwater levels and reduced access to drinking water. It is estimated that processing as little as 2.2 lb (1 kg) of polyester fiber, including spinning, dyeing, and finishing, requires about 100-150 liters of water.

When polyester was introduced in the United States in 1951, it quickly became the country's most demanded fiber. Polyester double knits became extremely popular in the late '60s due to their easy care feature of the permanent press.

Polyester always had an 'image problem', and polyester fabric clothes were often devalued and ridiculed. In 1990, several new forms of polyester were introduced, which helped revitalize the image.

A new form of polyester fiber, called microfiber, which was more luxurious and versatile, was introduced in 1991. Clothing designers started creating a line of clothes with these microfibers, which were difficult to distinguish from silk fabrics.

Researchers at the North Carolina University are developing a form of strong polyester, a super fiber material to be used as composite material for airplanes and cars. Polyester is a kind of plastic made from crude oil.

In 2016, millions of tons were produced globally. It sheds huge amounts of microfibers into the space from production and laundry. So in future, the whole world should come up with a new plan to mitigate the drawbacks.

FAQs

What is unique about polyester?

Polyester fibers are remarkably strong and do not stretch or tear like cotton or other natural fabrics. Due to its strength, polyester clothing does not require special care and can be machine washed easily.

What are three benefits of polyester?

Polyester fabric is non-allergic and does not promote the growth of bacteria. Unlike other natural fabrics, polyester has the characteristic to retain its shape. Moreover, polyester fabric is recyclable and can be shaped into other products.

Is polyester a good material?

Polyester is a good material mainly due to its durability. The stable, long fiber makes polyester fabric resilient and strong. Due to this, polyester fabric does not get stretched easily and holds its shape well. Despite its strength, pure polyester is a lightweight and supple fabric that can be styled in any manner.

What is polyester made from?

Polyester is a kind of plastic derived from a chemical reaction of air, water, and crude oil. There are alternatives to crude oil-derived polyester, made from agricultural crops, waste, and recycled plastic.

What is polyester commonly used for?

Polyester clothing and home furnishing are the common uses of this synthetic fabric. It is used for industrial purposes also. Polyester is used for making bottles, carpets, seat belts, air filters, ropes, fishing nets, films, phone cases, guitar finishes, and many more. They are sometimes mixed with natural fabrics, like cotton fabrics, to produce cotton blends.

Is 100% polyester breathable?

Polyester fabric is breathable as it is water repellent and lightweight in nature. The moisture on the skin evaporates instead of soaking into the clothing material.

How can you tell if a fabric is polyester?

To determine a fabric material of unknown origin, 'fabric burn test' is the most dependable way. Polyester fabric is smooth to touch and appears lustrous. If we burn the thread of polyester fabric, it melts down to a plasticky nub.

Is polyester fabric recyclable?

Yes, polyester can be recycled and even the recycled polyester can be recycled without much wastage.

How much water is used to make polyester?

It would take about 100-150 liters of water to process 2.2 lb (1 kg) of fiber.