What is polyester fabric? A brief introduction

The characteristics of polyester fabric make it one of the most popular textiles around.

Polyester is a synthetic fibre made from petroleum-derived chemicals, most commonly PET (polyethylene terephthalate, the same polymer family as plastic drinks bottles). It is strong, crease-resistant, quick-drying and inexpensive, but much less breathable than cotton. Below you will find what it feels like, where it works well, where it does not, and how to sew, wash and iron it.

In this guide

• What is polyester fabric?
• What is polyester fabric used for?
• What can I make with polyester?
• What does polyester feel like?
• Is polyester breathable?
• Is polyester waterproof?
• Properties of polyester: advantages, disadvantages and characteristics
• Polyester vs cotton vs polycotton
• Different types of polyester fabrics
• Similar, alternative fabrics to polyester
• How to sew polyester fabric
• How to wash and iron polyester
• Is polyester eco-friendly?
• Frequently asked questions
• A brief history of polyester fabric

What is Polyester Fabric?

Polyester is a synthetic (man-made) type of fabric, made out of a composition of petrochemicals. It is one of the most popular and widely used textiles on earth. You will almost certainly have plenty of clothes and furnishings made out of polyester fabric in your home right at this moment.

The raw polymer is melted and pushed through tiny holes to form long filaments, which are then spun, textured or cut into staple fibres. Those fibres can be woven into satins, twills and chiffons, or knitted into jersey and fleece, which is why one fibre can produce fabrics that look and feel so different.

What Is Polyester Fabric Used For?

Polyester is a popular fabric to make clothing out of. In fact, it is not uncommon for an item of clothing to be 100% polyester. Clothing is only part of the story, though. Here are some other examples of things you can make out of polyester:

Clothing	Homeware
Shirts	Towels (bath, kitchen, face, etc.)
Trousers	Blankets
Suits	Upholstery
Jackets	Curtains
Gym gear	Chair cushions
Socks	Pillows
Underwear	Sofas

Polyester also has industrial applications and uses. PET film, for example, is used in packaging and electronics, which shows how versatile the material is.

What Can I Make With Polyester?

Polyester fabric can be used to make almost anything. A good way to cut your teeth on a polyester DIY sewing project might start with the following:

• Baby bibs: polyester is water-resistant, easy to clean and available in a lot of different prints.
• Headwear: for example scrunchies and headbands with fabric flowers to decorate.
• Kitchen furnishings: oven mitts, aprons and towels are all convenient and straightforward projects that make good gifts. For oven mitts, use a heat-resistant wadding inside, as polyester itself can melt at high temperatures.
• Upholstery covers: for duvets, pillows and more.
• Organisers and pouches: ideal for storing things away, such as stationery, and protecting items (you can make a good DIY laptop sleeve with polyester).

Polyester fabric is the textile of choice when it comes to sporting garments, here you can see ‘breathing holes’ to aid with perspiration.

What Does Polyester Feel Like?

Polyester does not have one single feel, because it depends on how the fibre is made and constructed. Woven satins and linings feel smooth and slippery. Brushed polyester, fleece and microfibre feel soft and fuzzy. Cheaper plain woven polyester can feel slightly crisp, coarse or a little plasticky.

The fibre absorbs very little moisture, so plain woven polyester can feel sticky or clammy against the skin in hot weather, while wicking performance knits are made for sports kits (see the breathability section below). On the other hand, a polyester garment will feel warmer in cold weather.

How to tell if a fabric is polyester

Check the label or the product listing first; it is the only reliable answer. By hand, polyester often feels smooth, slightly slick and springy, and it bounces back quickly when you scrunch it in your fist, with few creases left behind.

The textbook method is a burn test. Cut a small snippet from a scrap or seam allowance, hold it with metal tweezers over a sink or a non-flammable surface, away from anything that could catch, and touch it briefly to a flame. Polyester melts and shrinks away from the flame, gives off black smoke and leaves a hard bead. Cotton burns steadily to soft, grey ash. Only test small offcuts, never a garment, do it in a ventilated space with water to hand, and do not touch the melted bead until it has cooled.

Is polyester breathable?

Polyester is less breathable than natural fibres. Because it absorbs very little water, moisture from your skin is not drawn into the fibre the way it is with cotton, so a plain polyester top can feel warm and clammy in heat.

Performance polyesters work differently. They are knitted or engineered so that sweat spreads along the surface of the fibres and evaporates quickly, rather than soaking in. This wicking effect is why sportswear uses them, and why a running top can feel drier than a cotton T-shirt during exercise.

Plain woven polyester linings and satins do not have this effect, so they can feel sweaty. For hot-weather clothing, cotton, linen or viscose are usually more comfortable choices. See our guide to breathable fabrics for summer for more options.

Is polyester waterproof?

Polyester resists water and dries fast, but ordinary polyester fabric is water-resistant, not waterproof. Water will eventually soak through the gaps in the weave or knit. It only becomes waterproof when it is coated or laminated, for example with PU or PVC. For the full explanation, read is polyester waterproof?

Properties Of Polyester: Advantages, Disadvantages & Characteristics

Polyester fabric stands on its own. That being said, it is also sometimes blended with cotton fabric or another natural fibre to make it softer and more comfortable. Blending also brings polyester's own characteristics to the garment. For example, a garment made out of both cotton and polyester is less likely to shrink, less likely to crease, and more likely to last longer.

Is polyester a good material? Here is a quick view of the advantages, disadvantages and characteristics of polyester fabrics. Note that the moisture-wicking point applies to performance knits designed for it, not to every polyester fabric.

Advantages	Disadvantages
Durable	Less breathable than natural fibres
Flexible	Can generate static electricity
Moisture-resistant	Not suitable for some skin types
Easy to look after and crease-resistant	May retain odours
Low-cost	Not eco-friendly
Colours do not fade easily	Can pill, and the pills cling on
Moisture-wicking properties (performance knits)	Can melt or go shiny under a hot iron
Moth & mildew resistant	Sheds tiny fibres in the wash

Polyester vs cotton vs polycotton

	Polyester	Cotton	Polycotton
Fibre origin	Synthetic, made from petrochemicals	Natural, from the cotton plant	A blend of polyester and cotton
Feel	Smooth to slippery, or soft when brushed	Soft, matte, natural	Soft with a slightly smoother finish than cotton
Breathability	Low, unless a wicking knit	High	Moderate
Absorbency	Very low	High	Moderate
Creasing	Resists creases	Creases easily	Creases less than cotton
Shrinkage	Minimal	Can shrink, especially when washed hot	Low
Pilling	Can pill, and pills cling on	Pills less; pills tend to wear away	Can pill
Typical care	Warm wash, cool iron	Warm to hot wash, hot iron	Warm wash, medium iron
Best for	Sportswear, linings, outerwear, easy-care clothes	Summer clothes, bedding, quilting, babywear	Shirts, uniforms, bedding, everyday clothes

Choose cotton when comfort in warm weather matters most, and polyester when you need strength, quick drying and minimal ironing. Polycotton sits in between, combining some of cotton's comfort with polyester's easy care.

Different Types Of Polyester Fabrics

There are many different types of polyester fabric, including:

• Ethylene polyester: also known as PET (polyethylene terephthalate), this is the most common type you are likely to encounter on the market.
• Recycled polyester (rPET): made from recycled PET such as plastic bottles. It performs like virgin polyester.
• Plant-based polyester: plant-based or bio-based polyesters (such as PLA) are made from plant sugars. They are uncommon, and some are compostable only in industrial facilities.
• PCDT polyester: this type is a bit like PET, however it has more elastic properties. It is more suited to home furnishings, for example, pillow cushions or curtains.

Within these types, there are common forms of polyester fabric that you can use for different effects in your sewing projects, including:

• Fleece polyester: along with fleece fabric, this soft, cosy variant feels very warm and is commonly used for winter-weather garments including jumpers, hats and blankets.
• Twill polyester: an effective type of suit fabric, this variation uses a diagonal weave pattern and is good for making durable tailored garments such as trousers, jackets and skirts. Read more: What is suit fabric? A brief introduction.
• Satin polyester: polyester woven in a satin weave, sold alongside other satin fabric, for a smooth, shiny and elegant finish. Ideal for formal wear, or for lining fabrics.
• Chiffon & georgette polyester: with chiffon & georgette fabric, you can create delicate, light clothes with a slightly crisp, grainy texture. Popular examples include scarves, blouses and flowing dresses.
• Jersey polyester: for stretchy, smooth and comfortable gym wear or jumpers, jersey & stretch fabric is an ideal material to match it up with.

Polyester is often blended with other fibres for maximum comfort and practicality.

Similar, Alternative Fabrics To Polyester

There are a few alternatives to polyester that you might want to check out, including lycra fabric and linen fabric.

Lycra is a well-known brand of elastane, a stretchy and durable synthetic fibre that is widely used in gym wear. It too is blended with other materials to enhance their properties. If you want the qualities of polyester, but with more stretch and recovery, you might want to check out lycra.

Linen, on the other hand, is of natural origin, but it shares some qualities with polyester, including durability and quick drying. Unlike polyester, it is very breathable. Cotton fabric, while not exactly like polyester, is also a common alternative many people opt for.

How to sew polyester fabric

Most polyester is easy to sew once the needle and heat settings are right. Slippery satins and chiffons need the most care.

• Use a new needle sized to the fabric: a microtex 60/8 to 70/10 for fine satins and chiffons, a universal 80/12 for mid-weights, and a ballpoint or stretch needle for polyester jersey. Blunt needles snag synthetic fibres, so change them often. You will find these in our machine needles range.
• Use polyester thread: it has a similar strength and slight give, so seams flex with the fabric.
• Adjust your settings if seams pucker: shorten the stitch slightly and lower the tension, then test on a scrap.
• Guide, do not pull: hold the fabric taut but not stretched as it passes under the foot.
• Pin in the seam allowance on satins: pins can leave visible holes in smooth, shiny fabrics.
• Try a walking foot: it helps feed slippery layers evenly so they do not shift.
• Press on a low heat: use the one-dot or synthetic setting with a pressing cloth, because polyester can melt or go shiny under a hot iron.
• Pre-wash if you like: polyester barely shrinks, but pre-washing removes any finishes left from manufacturing.

How to wash and iron polyester

Polyester is one of the easiest fabrics to care for. A few habits keep it looking its best:

• Follow the care label: most polyester washes at 30 to 40°C.
• Use a lower spin: this reduces creasing, especially on woven polyester.
• Line dry where you can: polyester dries quickly on a line or airer. If you tumble dry, use a low heat.
• Iron cool: use a low setting and a pressing cloth to avoid shine or melting.
• Wash after heavy wear: odour can cling to polyester, so do not leave sweaty gym kit sitting for long.
• Reduce fibre shedding: wash full loads, choose cooler washes, or use a wash bag designed to catch microfibres.

Is Polyester Eco-Friendly?

It is not particularly eco-friendly. Standard polyester is made from fossil fuels and is not biodegradable; only a few bio-based polyesters can be composted, and usually only in industrial facilities. Most critics would agree that it has a bad environmental impact, but because the fabric is so durable, one could argue that it is more sustainable in the long run than some natural fibres. That is, if you take into account savings in water usage and energy consumption over time.

Recycled polyester, made from used PET bottles and other waste, reduces the need for new raw material, though it is still a synthetic fibre. All synthetic fabrics also shed tiny fibres in the wash, which can end up in waterways, so the washing tips above are worth following. For more ideas, see our guide to more sustainable fabric choices.

Frequently asked questions

Is polyester a good fabric or bad?

It depends on the job. Polyester is good for strength, colour retention, quick drying and easy care, which makes it ideal for sportswear, outerwear, linings and hard-wearing homeware. It is less good for hot-weather clothing, because it is less breathable than cotton or linen, and it is not an eco-friendly fibre. Choose it where its practical strengths matter most.

Is polyester soft?

It can be. Brushed polyester, fleece, minky and microfibre are very soft, and polyester satin feels smooth and silky. Cheaper woven polyester can feel crisp or slightly coarse. If softness matters, look for words like brushed, peached, fleece or microfibre in the listing, and ask for a sample if you can.

What is polyester made of?

Most polyester is PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a polymer made from chemicals derived from petroleum. The same polymer family is used for plastic drinks bottles. The polymer is melted and extruded into filaments, which are spun into yarn and then woven or knitted into fabric. Recycled polyester uses PET from bottles and other waste instead of new raw material.

Does polyester shrink?

Very little. Polyester is one of the most stable fibres in the wash, so it barely shrinks at normal temperatures. Very hot washes or a high tumble-dry heat can distort it or set creases, so stick to 30 to 40°C and a low dryer setting. Blends with cotton or viscose may shrink more, so check the label.

Is 100% polyester breathable?

Not very. Plain 100% polyester absorbs little moisture, so it can feel warm and clammy in heat. Performance polyester knits are the exception: they are engineered to wick sweat along the fibre surface so it evaporates quickly, which is why sports tops use them. For everyday summer clothes, cotton, linen or viscose usually feel cooler.

Is polyester better than cotton?

Neither is better overall. Polyester is stronger, dries faster, creases less and barely shrinks. Cotton is more breathable, more absorbent and usually more comfortable against the skin, especially in warm weather. Pick polyester for sportswear, linings and easy-care pieces, cotton for summer clothes, bedding and babywear, or polycotton if you want a mix of the two.

A Brief History Of Polyester Fabric

Polyester has its origins in both the USA and the UK. Around 1930, Wallace Carothers and his team at DuPont in the United States researched polyesters as part of their work on synthetic fibres, though they moved on to develop nylon instead.

That research inspired scientists in Britain. In 1941, John Rex Whinfield and James Tennant Dickson of the Calico Printers' Association in Manchester patented a PET fibre and named it Terylene, the first commercially successful polyester fibre. ICI went on to produce Terylene in the UK.

DuPont acquired the US rights and launched the fibre as Dacron in the early 1950s. Large-scale production followed, and that marked roughly the time when polyester became widely available on the market.

Ready to start a project? Browse the polyester fabric collection linked at the top of this guide for satins, linings, jerseys and more.