What is polyester fabric and what is its difference from other fabrics


Each buyer sooner or later faces the question of what kind of polyester fabric it is, what qualities it has, how good it is to wear. This material has long been loved by consumers, and it cannot be otherwise, because polyester has excellent properties, including the ability to keep its shape and easily wash off dirt.

Finding out what polyester is, it should be noted that such a material has been produced for over 80 years from a combination of oil, coal, alcohol and acids. It is worth paying attention to the fact that not only skirts and suits, but also outerwear are actively sewn from this kind of fabric.

Such types of combinations of this substance with other tissues are quite popular:

  • Polyamide gives a resilient fabric that wears well and retains its color perfectly. Most often, underwear is sewn from it.
  • Spandex allows you to get an excellent stretch material from which socks, stockings and tights are sewn.
  • Cotton brings a touch of naturalness to polyester.
  • Viscose blended with polyester provides excellent stability and moisture absorption.

What is polyester and how is it made

In the process of creating polyester, several stages can be distinguished:

  • First, the elements that are involved in the production of polystyrene are separated from the oil.
  • Then it melts and a liquid substance is obtained.
  • Polyester is purified through chemicals and mechanics.
  • After that, the remaining mass is pushed through small holes to obtain fibers.
  • Further, the threads are put in order and give them a presentation.
  • At the last stage, the fabric is made.

The consistent course of the process allows you to achieve high-quality fabric that will not have an unpleasant odor, leave traces of poor-quality staining on human skin and shedding.

Is polyester natural or synthetic?

You can unequivocally positively answer the question of whether polyester is synthetic. Nevertheless, its artificial origin is not at all an indicator of poor quality. Moreover, over 50% of the textile market is occupied by polyester fabrics. Not only casual clothes are sewn from this material, but also branded outfits, as well as furniture upholstery, special clothes for different professions and much more.

If a few decades ago, preference was given to natural fibers, then the age of modern technologies forces to choose polyester in clothes as a material that meets high safety requirements, and also has an affordable cost.

Polyester, unlike natural fibers, does not attract insects.

What can a polyester thing give to its owner?

  • Excellent protection against weather troubles.
  • Resistant to wear and tear.
  • Convenience in sewing and cutting.
  • Persistence of shades and shapes.
  • Absolute lightness in weight.
  • Low cost.
  • Absolute dislike for all kinds of insects.
  • Resistance to the acquisition of foreign odors.

Does polyester stretch or not?

Thanks to its high elasticity, polyester garments always fit perfectly and are easy to clean.

To assess the stretchability of such a material, it is worth paying attention to what additional fibers are included in the fabric and what is their percentage.

It is worth noting that polyester has the ability to stretch, but only to the extent that is necessary in order to put on this thing or stretch the material (when it comes to upholstery). After the fabric has stretched, it immediately returns to its original size. This is possible due to the fact that polyester fibers have high elasticity, so clothes made from it are practical and easy to care for.

Does polyester get wet or not?

The problem of moisture exposure is very important for outerwear, because it is worn to protect against negative environmental influences. It should be noted that polyester perfectly repels liquid from its surface. This allows you not to worry about getting wet in the rain or splashing from a puddle from a passing car.

Answering the question, polyester is what kind of fabric it is, you need to pay attention that it is great for sewing workwear or equipment for tourists. However, not being able to get wet may not be a very good solution for summer outfits, because the fabric cannot absorb sweat and is unlikely to bring pleasure on a hot day.

Does polyester roll?

It is imperative to pay attention to the fact that such a modern and high-tech material has a high ability to keep its original shape after repeated washings. And if the temperature regime and measures for the care of this fabric are observed, the resistance of the fabric to the formation of pills can be noted, which is an additional advantage of polyester.

Does polyester clothing breathe or not?

The material made from polyester is very popular even though it is not very breathable. The fabric, which contains 100% polyester, is a synthetic material that absolutely does not allow air to pass through. Therefore, clothes made from such fibers are not sewn for wearing in the summer.

It is not recommended to wear clothes made of pure polyester in summer.

Nevertheless, other types of products are perfectly used by people in different spheres of life, largely due to such qualities:

  • elasticity;
  • ability to keep in shape;
  • resistance to getting wet;
  • drying speed.

Do not forget that polyester fibers can be combined with other materials. For example, the combination with cotton significantly increases the ability of the fabric to breathe, which makes it quite suitable for creating summer clothes.

Separately, it should be noted the presence of three spherical fabrics, which contain not only polyester, but also nylon, and are additionally impregnated with certain substances that improve their breathability.

Polyester spandex. What is this material?

Another synthetic fabric to look out for is spandex. What kind of material it is, you can figure it out if you consider its composition, which includes polyurethane fibers, as well as cotton and linen threads.

The following advantages of this material can be noted:

  • absolute strength;
  • ability to keep in shape;
  • extensibility;
  • wear resistance;
  • smooth surface and gloss;
  • crease resistance;
  • ability to repel dirt.

Separately, it should be noted that spandex has the ability to perfectly tolerate cutting without crumbling during this procedure. In addition, it absolutely does not take on the temperature of the human body, due to which it remains pleasantly cool even in the middle of a hot summer day. However, do not forget that this tissue is prone to the formation of puffs, moreover, it can cause allergic manifestations in people.

Nylon or Polyester. What's better?

When it comes to lightweight, elastic and durable material, nylon immediately comes to mind. Products made from this fabric are distinguished by their easy care, cleaning and ironing. In addition, the nylon included in the material greatly reduces the drying time of the fabric. Things created from it have the ability to retain their appearance for a long time, which the buyer sees in the store.

Nylon is used to create these wardrobe items:

  • stockings and socks;
  • blouses and dresses;
  • jackets and raincoats.

Unlike polyester, nylon will fade in the sun and change color when exposed to water.

Do not forget that nylon has a not very pleasant ability to stretch if the product from it gets into water, and also change its color under the influence of sunlight. In this case, polyester looks much better, to which these influences are not capable of causing any harm.

However, nylon, in contrast to polyester, is more breathable, so it is preferable for use in hot weather. And the surface of nylon is much smoother than polyester.

Which is better viscose or polyester?

Viscose is a material that is artificially created. The main characteristic of this fabric is the weave of fibers in which cellulosic xanthate and sodium hydroxide can be found.

The following features of this material can be noted:

  • a surface that is pleasant to the touch;
  • high degree of moisture transmission;
  • freedom of air passage;
  • ease of staining.

Comparing polyester and viscose, it can be noted that the appearance of the latter is much more attractive. In addition, polyester is not as soft and pleasant to the touch. However, it has higher density and abrasion and tear resistance. And the safety indicators of this material are much higher, because when it comes into contact with fire, it simply melts, in contrast to rapidly flaring cellulose.

Which is better cotton or polyester?

Cotton fabric is a natural fiber that has good environmental friendliness, as well as absolute hypoallergenicity. The latter factor makes it possible to use such fabrics in the manufacture of lingerie, even for babies.

Perhaps its main difference from polyester is its ability to absorb moisture, besides, this material allows you to keep cool in the heat and conserve heat in the cold season. Polyester compares favorably with cotton in that it does not change at all when exposed to the sun and high temperatures, and also practically does not wear out or wrinkle.

Which is better holofiber or polyester?

Holofiber withstands multiple washes, does not get into lumps and dries quickly.

Holofiber, which was created by Russian specialists, is considered one of the most modern and versatile materials today. This fabric has spiral fibers that are rich in pores that contain air. This material, just like polyester, is created by processing petroleum products.

We can note the following positive qualities that holofiber possesses:

  • not too high thermal conductivity;
  • elasticity, which allows you to keep the shape well;
  • inability to clump together;
  • absorption of noise;
  • the ability to tolerate multiple washings well;
  • fast drying.

Products made of holofiber and polyester have approximately the same high quality indicators, except that the latter is not very breathable. In general, both materials are widely used in different spheres of life.

Which is better polyester or microfiber?

Such a modern material as microfiber is made relatively recently from polyester fibers, which is a brother of polyester. In addition to these substances, microfiber can contain polyamide polymers.

This fabric got its name due to the fact that it has very thin fibers and, as a result, low weight. In addition, this fabric has a high ability to absorb moisture, due to which we can note the following advantages over other synthetic fabrics:

  • a special pattern of weaving of fibers ensures the density of the fabric;
  • absolute lightness and thinness of the canvas;
  • excellent ability to absorb liquid;
  • heat preservation and windproofness;
  • the microfiber does not form pellets, moreover, it does not fade.

Polyester is much inferior in quality to microfiber.

Assessing the advantages of this material, it is worth noting that it surpasses polyester in some points, which makes it indispensable in the production of both industrial fabrics used, for example, for cleaning premises, and for other purposes.

Which is better for a nylon or polyester jacket?

Outerwear with the same regularity is made from both polyester and nylon. You can make a comparative characteristic of these materials in order to determine which of them is preferred as a fabric for a jacket:

  • Nylon is quite lightweight and elastic, while polyester is more rigid.
  • Nylon fabrics stretch strongly when wet, and polyester fabrics do not change their properties and appearance at all, even after repeated washing.
  • If the first type of fabric absolutely does not tolerate exposure to the sun, then the second is completely insensitive to ultraviolet light.

In general, it is difficult to note which of the materials will be ideal for sewing a jacket. It all depends on when and under what circumstances these clothes will be worn.

How is polyester different from polyester?

Polyester is a durable and durable material.

It is difficult to name any significant differences between these two materials, because they have the same composition, only polyester is a more modern fiber. It is this quality that makes it more popular.

Both materials have excellent strength indicators, in addition, they are equally effectively used for sewing clothes for personal needs, as well as special equipment and even furniture facades. These two types of fabrics well tolerate dyeing and the influence of ultraviolet radiation, however, depending on their purpose, they can differ in structure, and therefore in rigidity, smoothness and some other qualities.

Therefore, it can be noted that polyester practically does not differ from polyester, but is its improved version.

Pros and cons of polyester clothing

Polyester retains its color even when exposed to UV light.

It is possible to note the following advantages of polyester material when used in sewing clothes:

  • long term wearing of products;
  • strength and lightness of things;
  • safety for humans;
  • excellent ability to retain color even when exposed to ultraviolet radiation;
  • absolute resistance to attacks by moths and other insects;
  • does not require ironing and dries quickly;
  • does not deteriorate when exposed to acids and solvents.

Polyester does not "breathe", it is quite tough to the touch.

Nevertheless, such clothes are not without some disadvantages:

  • poorly breathable;
  • electrostatic;
  • hard to the touch.

It can be noted that polyester clothing has many advantages and disadvantages, so whether or not to use it in your own wardrobe is up to each person to decide.

What is Single Sided Polyester

Polyester fiber that has only one side that can be facing and contain a pattern or just a shade is called one-sided. If inclusions of viscose or flax are added to this material, then it becomes already two-sided, which means that the boundaries of its application are significantly expanded, and it receives additional properties.

In conclusion, it should be noted that polyester is a modern synthetic fiber that has embodied all the achievements of modern science and has become a real discovery in the environment of fabrics for both personal and industrial use. Such materials have excellent characteristics of strength and practicality, which makes them absolutely indispensable in modern life.

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