Introduction

• Polyester is a synthetic fibre
• Today polyester is still regarded as a ‘ cheap’ uncomfortable fibre however this conception is beginning to change with the new luxury polyester fibre ‘micro fibre’
• Polyester is manufactured in many weights including ‘fibre fill’ as used in pillows and upholstery.
• Polyester is a strong fibre that is crease resistant and therefore keeps its shape.

History

• Polyester began as a group of polymers in WH Carothers’ lab.
• Carothers was working for ‘DuPont when he discovered that alcohols and carboxyl acids could be combined to form fibres.
• A group of 5 British scientists carried on with this work in 1939.
• In 1941 they created the first polyester fibre called Terylene.
• 1946 DuPont bought all legal rights and came up with another polyester fibre which they named Dacron.
• The polyester market kept expanding with new fibres being manufactured all the time.
• Polyester was an inexpensive and durable fibre that many small mills emerged all over the country.
• Polyester continued to grow until the 1970s when sales started to drop drastically, probably as a result of the infamous polyester double-knit fabrics.

Properties

• Strong
• Resists stretching and shrinkage
• Resists chemicals
• Quick to dry
• Crisp & resilient when wet
• Resists wrinkles
• Resists mildew
• Easy to wash & wear
• Retains pleats

Disadvantages

• Quite static
• Prone to pilling
• Polyester melts at a medium temperature