Polyester is made from fossil fuels, and producing it generates significant greenhouse gas emissions.
At the consumer level, polyester garments shed microplastics when washed, contributing to the growing problem of microplastic pollution in rivers and oceans. On top of that, polyester does not biodegrade, which means most of the clothing made today will outlive its wearer.
Recycled polyester, often made from plastic bottles, has been marketed as a solution. Yet those fibres typically cannot be recycled again, and once they end up in mixed-material garments, their circular potential effectively ends. This is why new approaches—like Matterr’s chemical recycling—are drawing attention. They aim to extend the lifespan of polyester fibres beyond a single cycle and reduce dependence on virgin fossil-based inputs.
Beyond its environmental impact, polyester also raises questions when it comes to health and wellbeing. As a synthetic fibre, polyester does not breathe like natural materials such as cotton, linen, or wool. Clothing made from polyester can trap heat and moisture against the skin, which for some people may cause irritation, rashes, or exacerbate conditions like eczema.
Polyester is also often treated with dyes, resins, and chemical finishes to achieve certain textures or performance qualities. Some of these treatments can release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or cause skin sensitivity in those with allergies. While most garments meet safety standards, the cumulative exposure to synthetic fabrics in everyday wardrobes is an area of growing research, especially as consumers become more conscious of what they put next to their skin.
Microplastic shedding adds another dimension. Recent studies have suggested that microfibres released during wear and washing may not only pollute water systems but could also be inhaled or absorbed through skin contact. Though research is ongoing, the potential for long-term health effects remains an open question.
For many people, affordability is the main reason they buy fashion and accessories made from polyester. Fast fashion, while discussed in many sustainability organisations and circular economy specialists, still remain available to the masses in department stores, the high street and in many people’s wardrobes.
To combat the use of polyester, what needs to be done is to make more sustainable, cost effective alternatives available for the masses to purchase. Until manufacturers and larger fashion industry companies stop using polyester, it will remain a material that is used in the production of cheaper fashion items.
The luxury fashion houses are also using polyester as a material, which in itself is quite astounding, considering they often have the funds, resources and supply chains available to them to procure materials that are much more consumer and planet friendly.
