Old Faithful #2 - Polyester

Polyester.  Old Faithful #2.  Polyester is like anchovies on pizza, you either love it or hate it.  There is no in-between.  Before we go further, I'm firmly in the hate it category.  Sorry, not sorry.  Honestly, it has very little to do with wearing it (although I don't usually choose to put it on unless it is a cotton/poly blend).  It's hard to deal with for almost every decoration option we offer.  That said, one of my favorite decoration options only works well on poly-rich (60% poly or above) fabric. Oh, the irony.

So, what exactly is Polyester? Well, ya'll, it's made from oil. Well, not oil exactly. Polyester is created from a chemical reaction between petroleum, water, and air. The fibers used to make the material are made from polyethylene terephthalate (or PET). An interesting thing I found out is that PET is the most common material used to make single-use water bottles. So, we're wearing water bottles.  

Now, more than ever, we are trying to save our planet and be kind to our environment.  Sadly, from beginning to end, polyester is bad for our environment.  In the making and manufacturing of polyester fibers and material, fossil fuels are used and toxins are released into the environment.  It is not known how long it will take for polyester to break down, but your shirt will be around with your water bottle in the landfill. 

I don't want you to think I'm just a hater, so I will tell you that there are several listings in the Polyester Pro category.  It is a popular fabric for use by many startups and big brands alike because it doesn't cost a lot to produce.  It is in demand to mix with cotton, spandex, or many other fabrics because it adds strength and durability.  It is water resistant and adds flexibility, two qualities that are a bonus for athleticwear. It's easy to care for, holds its color & shape well, and takes longer than other fabrics to shrink.  

Ok.  So care.  I get asked about care a lot.  Polyester is fade-resistant, but that doesn't mean it won't fade.  It is also shrink-resistant, but that doesn't mean it won't shrink.   So let's start with washing and fade resistance.  The easiest way to combat fade is to sort your clothes.  I had a whole paragraph in the Cotton blog post about sorting your laundry. Please go back and read it.  While you're sorting, check your tags to make sure there aren't other materials added that require special wash instructions.  Turn inside out and wash in cold water. 

It is recommended that you don't use fabric softener on poly clothing because it coats the individual fibers and keeps your garment from wicking moisture like it is supposed to.  Guess what happens when your polyester shirt can't wick away moisture.  That sucker is gonna retain all those odors that come from you and everything around you.  It'll smell bad!  

Now, as with cotton, polyester has a love/hate relationship with your dryer.  Polyester doesn't breathe, that's why it is good for cold weather athletic clothing.  It keeps in the heat.  It is moisture-wicking, so it can't wait to suck the moisture off of your skin and get rid of it.  So polyester loves your dryer.  It loves to suck in the heat and get rid of the moisture.  Except, it doesn't know when to quit.  Your poly shirt will be dry or almost dry in about 10 minutes.  So when you put it in the dryer and crank it on high for 30 minutes, it's in heaven!  It gets warm and it just keeps sucking in heat, and sucking in heat, with nowhere for the heat to go.  And it keeps getting rid of moisture and getting rid of moisture.  Have you ever pulled a poly shirt out of the dryer and it was so hot you couldn't touch it and it was crackling with static?  That's what happens when you've overdryed your shirt.  Have you ever pulled a maroon poly t-shirt out of the dryer and the white decoration is a dull pink color? That's what happens when you reach the heat threshold on that poly t-shirt and the material starts to off gas.  With the gas comes the dye used to color your t-shirt. It seeps thru your decoration and leaves behind the dye to change the decoration's color. It will also stain other lighter garments in the dryer (and the inside of your dryer). Between those two scenarios, you've just cut the life of that garment down drastically and if there was any decoration, you can kiss it goodbye.  Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but screen printing & vinyl will crack or come loose.  I even had someone tell me one time that they pulled a t-shirt out of the dryer and the vinyl had come completely off and had adhered itself to all of the other things in that load.  So hanging up or drying for 10 minutes on low heat is the best for your polyester garment.

I got my info from two websites.  One is Sewport.com.  If you'd like to know why I think they are an authority, look here. The second is sportcasuals.com.  As with the 1st, here is their about page.  Thanks for sticking with me. This was a long one!