What Is Polyester Fabric?

Mar 01, 2025

What Is Polyester Fabric?

Polyester fabrics are a synthetic textile made mainly from petroleum-based chemicals, and their main polymer is polyterephthalate (PET). The wrinkle resistance of polyester reduces the need for ironing, which is usually mixed with natural fibers such as cotton, improves durability and resists wrinkle and shrinkage at a lower cost. But polyester is less breathable than natural fabrics and is comfortable only in warm climates, but polyester is durable, so polyester remains one of the most widely produced fibers in the world.

History

The history of polyester fabrics begins with polymer research in W.H. in the early 20th century. In 1920, Carothers focused on nylon research, and British chemists John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson invented Terylene, a patent obtained by Dupont after World War II and introduced similar fibers in the United States in 1951. In the 1950s and 1960s, polyester quickly became popular due to prolonged wear and tear that required little care. Its ability to wear without ironing makes it particularly attractive. Due to its anti-wrinkle, polyester proteases became increasingly popular in the 1990s, making it one of the world's leading synthetic fibers for clothing, decoration and technical textile applications. It is still an integral part of global clothing production, decorative design and technical textile production.

Where Is Polyester Fabric Produced?

China, India, Vietnam and Bangladesh are several of the world's largest polyester fabric manufacturers. Among them, China accounts for 65% of the total polyester production, with the largest output, but India has the world's top textile exporters, and strong clusters and government incentives support make it extremely advantageous, while Vietnam and Bangladesh mainly import polyester fibers. Türkiye and Taipei, China, are the major exporters of woven polyester fabrics, while Europe and North America are particularly concerned with recycling polyester fibers due to sustainable development trends.

How Is Polyester Made?

Polyester is produced through a chemical process using petroleum-derived raw materials. The process begins with the extraction and refining of crude oil to obtain essential chemicals such as ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid (or dimethyl terephthalate). These chemicals undergo a polycondensation reaction at high temperatures (290–300°C) under vacuum conditions, forming polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the polymer base of polyester. The molten PET polymer is then extruded through spinnerets—metal plates with tiny holes—to create continuous filaments. These are rapidly cooled and solidified with air, then drawn and stretched to align the polymer chains. Depending on the intended application, the continuous may be cut into staple fibers or tow bundles or left as yarns. During polymerization, additives such as titanium dioxide may be added to improve fiber properties like brightness and static resistance. Once formed, the fibers are wound onto spools or cut to specified lengths before being prepared for further textile processes, including spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, or finishing.

What Different Types of Polyester Are There?

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate)，This common polyester is often seen in clothing and textile applications due to its durability and easy dyeing capabilities.PCDT (Poly-1,4-cyclohexylene-dimethylene terephthalate)， More elastic and durable than PET, making it suitable for heavy duty textile applications like upholstery, curtains and cushions. Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF)，Short fibers cut short that blend natural fibers together to simulate wool, silk or linen fabric for use in apparel and home textile applications. Polyester Yarn，Full Drawn Yarn (FDY) is strong, uniform yarn designed for weaving and apparel applications; Draw Textured Yarn (DTY) provides elastic textiles used for suits, shirts quilts and curtains. Air Textured Yarn (ATY)， Soft yarn with loops that offer soft hand feel and antibacterial benefits, ideal for sportswear and cleaning cloths. Microfiber Polyester，Ultrafine fibers perfect for sportswear and cleaning cloths, whilst Recycled Polyester (rPET) offers more sustainable solutions. Specialized Polyesters，Polyesters designed specifically for industrial and technical uses include high-melting, elastomeric, and unsaturated variants with various strengths, elasticity, and appearance characteristics that offer versatility across fashion, home decor, and industrial uses.

What Can I Make With Polyester?

Polyester fibers and fabrics have been widely used in clothing, home decoration, accessories and industrial applications. In the clothing neighborhood, the polyester layer can be used for shirts, dresses, jackets, sportswear, work clothes, underwear, swimsuits, hats, scarves, gloves and headbands. Home and Lifestyle，Polyester items found around the home including bedding (sheets, pillowcases, blankets and duvet covers), curtains, upholstery (sofa covers, cushions and mattress padding), tablecloths rugs microfiber towels as well as fiberfill used as stuffing in pillows toys duvets as well as mouse pads and soft mats made with polyester fiberfill stuffing material. In industry and technology, polyester can be used in automotive carpets, seat covers, etc., conveyor belts, industrial ropes and reinforcement materials, as well as conveyor belts and industrial ropes and reinforcement materials. Polyester is used in special applications and handicrafts, such as dielectric films used in plastic bottles and electronic products. Also, in raincoats, reusable bags, plush toys, ornaments, polyester fiber is required.

Recycling

Polyester recycling is divided into mechanical and chemical. Mechanical recycling requires melting the liquid form of polyester material (usually in used textiles or plastic bottles) and then cooling, solidifying and processing into particles, which can then be spun into new fibers. Chemical recycling uses polyester to decompose polyester into its component monomers, such as glycolysis or hydrolysis. Chemical recycling can be complex and expensive than mechanical recycling, but performs an environmentally friendly process to effectively separate the polyester into the cotton mixture, and both fibers can be reused.