POLYESTER FABRIC INFORMATION

POLYESTER FABRIC
INFORMATION
Polyester is a very popular synthetic fabric, often
found in combination with natural fibers to
provide strength and resistance to both wrinkles
and the elements. The material commonly known
as polyester, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), is
actually only one of a group of polymers that
contain the ester functional group in their
chemical composition, and is derived chiefly from
petroleum. PET, henceforth referred to as
polyester, was patented in 1941 by British
chemists John Whinfield and James Dickson while
employed by the Calico Printer's Association of
Manchester, England. The pair developed
polyester based on the early research of Wallace
Carothers, the inventor of nylon. While DuPont
decided to focus solely on the development of
nylon in the 1930's and 40's, Whinfield and
Dickson created the first polyester fiber, Terylene.
DuPont soon purchased the U.S. rights to
Terylene and resumed its research into polyester,
introducing its own version, Dacron, in 1950. Due
to the source of polyester, petroleum, being so
widely available and inexpensive in the mid
1900's, use of the fabric gained in popularity.
However, polyester was regarded as being rather
uncomfortable and retaining heat, and the
proliferation of cheap polyester suits and shirts
with massive lapels started to hurt the image of
the fabric for garment use. Recently, polyester
has experienced resurgence with the advent of
microfibers. A great increase in softness and
wearability has been paired with marketing
campaigns aimed to promote polyester as a wash
and go fabric, as opposed to simply being
inexpensive. Polyester fabric can be found in
high-quality, wrinkle resistant shirts, pants, and
costumes, as well as in bedding and home décor.
Polyester fleece is popular in wetsuits and other
garments that require heat retention and
insulation, and the fabric is immensely popular in
outdoor applications, such as overcoats, sleeping
bags and climbing suits. Polyester's uses go
beyond clothing, as it can be found in plastic
bottles, ropes, even fancy balloons. Polyester
fabric is a truly remarkable material which lends
strength, warmth and durability to any project.