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What Is Polyester Fabric?
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<p>
Polyester is a synthetic fabric that’s usually derived from petroleum. This fabric is
one of the world’s most popular <a href="http://www.yzhfabric.com/"
target="_self">textiles</a>, and it is used in thousands of different consumer and
industrial applications.
</p>
<p>
Chemically, polyester is a polymer primarily composed of compounds within the ester
functional group. Most synthetic and some plant-based polyester fibers are made from
ethylene, which is a constituent of petroleum that can also be derived from other sources.
While some forms of polyester are biodegradable, most of them are not, and polyester
production and use contribute to pollution around the world.
</p>
<p>
In some applications, polyester may be the sole constituent of apparel products, but it
’s more common for polyester to be blended with cotton or another natural fiber. Use of
polyester in apparel reduces production costs, but it also decreases the comfortability of
apparel.
</p>
<p>
When blended with cotton, polyester improves the shrinkage, durability, and wrinkling
profile of this widely-produced natural fiber. <a
href="http://www.yzhfabric.com/polyester-fabric/" target="_self">Polyester fabric</a> is
highly resistant to environmental conditions, which makes it ideal for long-term use in
outdoor applications.
</p>
<p>
The fabric we now know as polyester began its climb toward its current critical role in
the contemporary economy in 1926 as Terylene, which was first synthesized by W.H. Carothers
in the UK. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, British scientists continued to develop better
forms of ethylene fabric, and these efforts eventually garnered the interest of American
investors and innovators.
</p>
<p>
Polyester fiber was originally developed for mass consumption by the DuPont
Corporation, which also developed other popular synthetic fibers like nylon. During World
War II, the Allied powers found themselves in increased need of fibers for parachutes and
other war materiel, and after the war, DuPont and other American corporations found a new
consumer market for their synthetic materials in the context of the postwar economic boom.
</p>
<p>
Initially, consumers were enthusiastic about the improved durability profile of
polyester compared to natural fibers, and these benefits are still valid today. In recent
decades, however, the harmful environmental impact of this synthetic fiber has come to
light in great detail, and the consumer stance on polyester has changed significantly.
</p>
<p>
Nonetheless, polyester remains one of the most widely-produced fabrics in the world,
and it’s hard to find consumer apparel that doesn’t contain at least some percentage of
polyester fiber. Apparel that contains polyester, however, will melt in extreme heat, while
most natural fibers char. Molten fibers can cause irreversible bodily damage.
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Ethylene Polyester
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<p>
Ethylene polyester (PET) is the most commonly-produced form of polyester fiber. The
primary component of PET is petroleum-derived ethylene, and in the process of creating
polyester fiber, ethylene serves as the polymer that interacts with other chemicals to
create a stable fibrous compound.
</p>
<p>
There are four ways to make PET fiber, and the polyester production process varies
slightly depending on which method is used:
</p>
<p>
1.Filament: Polyester filaments are continuous fibers, and these fibers produce
smooth and soft fabrics.
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<p>
2.Staple: Polyester staples resemble the staples used to make cotton yarn, and
like cotton staples, polyester staples are usually spun into a yarn-like material.
</p>
<p>
3.Tow: Polyester tow is like polyester filament, but in polyester tow, the
filaments are loosely arranged together.
</p>
<p>
4.Fiberfill: Fiberfill consists of continuous polyester filaments, but these
filaments are produced specifically to have the most possible volume to make bulky products
like pillows, outerwear, and stuffing for stuffed animals.
</p>
<p>
The process of creating polyester fiber begins with reacting ethylene glycol with
dimethyl terephthalate at high heat. This reaction results in a monomer, which is then
reacted with dimethyl terephthalate again to create a polymer.
</p>
<p>
This molten polyester polymer is extruded from the reaction chamber in long strips, and
these strips are allowed to cool and dry, and then they are broken apart in to small
pieces. The resulting chips are then melted again to create a honey-like substance, which
is extruded through a spinneret to create fibers.
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