Polyester: Fashion or Pollution?

Have you ever looked at a tag of a clothing piece in a store, and realized the clothing was a hundred percent polyester? Or have you looked in your closet, wondering what you were wearing, only to find it to be cheap plastic? We seem to live in a polyester-filled world. However, when you look at an old piece of clothing from around 30 years ago, it would surprise you to know that it was a hundred percent cotton. So, what is polyester, and why do we see it everywhere? 

Polyester is a synthetic fiber, made from mixing ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. Its full name is polyethylene terephthalate. In 1941, polyester was invented by British chemists, became global, and rose into popularity by the 1970s. However, around 15-20 years ago polyester began to become the one of the most popular fibers used in the world. This was because it's cost-effective, and cheaper to make than most natural fibers like cotton, or silk. 

Many people don’t bat an eye when they buy polyester, knowing that it is durable, moisture resistant and versatile. On the contrary, however, the cons outweigh the pros. Since polyester is essentially a plastic, it releases microplastics when washed, contributing to the pollution of the water system. Additionally, the plastic doesn’t make it biodegradable. With the troubles of overconsumption, many clothes are thrown out each year. According to a study in the National Library of Medicine, polyester has a shorter lifespan compared to natural fibers. Due to this, it often ends up in landfills less than 2 years after it was bought.  

Since polyester takes hundreds of years to fully break down, it’s an issue of stealing land, and environments. During the production of polyester, water and air are compromised and not given back to the environment. This leads to the destruction of ecosystems, because if an ecosystem doesn’t have enough water, it could lead to food and water shortages and endangered species. Alongside this, the textile industries generate a mass amount of CO2, which contributes to the greenhouse effect. If the air isn’t clean, it puts humans at risk for respiratory illnesses and allergies. So if polyester is a major worldwide polluter, why do clothing companies still use it? 

Overconsumption is partially to blame, and the mass production of polyester can be linked to it. How many times have you gone on Instagram, watched multiple videos of influencers talking about a top, and suddenly saw 500,000 people rushing to buy it? This is what you would call a trend, born from discussion and influence on the internet. One thing about trends, though, is that they die early. For example, the rage of skinny jeans in the last decade, and people resorting to baggy jeans. With the major influence of content creators, people don’t think twice when they buy an item, only to throw it away after a year or so. Knowing this, companies have to keep up with demand, and this is where fast-fashion companies come into play. 

Fast-fashion companies need to get clothes out immediately in order to supply to the customer demand. With overconsumption, this changes frequently. Polyester is a fast and cheap fabric to make, and this is why most companies will subject themselves to using it. Also, it is the reason why polyester production has gone up in the last decade or two. 

So when you buy your next piece, think twice about it. There are multiple companies that are still natural fiber driven that produce plenty of good alternatives to the trends we see today and the desires of clothes that we wish to wear. Polyester isn’t fashion– it’s destruction. This is why many people have resorted to natural fibers and a polyester-free life. After all, natural fibers will last longer, and cost lower in the long run. So, perhaps, by buying less polyester, there will be less supporting companies that manufacture it, and we could have a less polluted world. 

Sources: 

• Apex Mills. “What Is Polyester?” Apex Mills, 9 Aug. 2022, www.apexmills.com/media_post/what-is-polyester/.

• “Pros and Cons of Polyester Fabric.” Whitelodgefabric.com, 2024, www.whitelodgefabric.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-polyester-fabrics.html?srsltid=AfmBOoqyshG_Oi5_LheAGIKc0xUKVv54BO0ZD7DelGSKgy7xglj3kIlr.

• Palacios-Mateo, Cristina, et al. “Analysis of the Polyester Clothing Value Chain to Identify Key Intervention Points for Sustainability.” Environmental Sciences Europe, vol. 33, no. 1, 6 Jan. 2021, 

enveurope.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s12302-020-00447-x, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-020-00447-x.