What's so bad about polyester?

[ellesabe]

I have never really paid much attention to the fabrics that my clothes are made out of but I have noticed quite a lot of people on here bad-mouthing polyester.

I know this may seem like a really clueless question to some of you but what's so bad about it?

I am thinking of getting a knee-length white skirt for a holiday to Spain next week and I'm not sure what effect a polyester lining would have.
My two options are:

This from Marks and Spencer - £35 and 100% cotton

or this from Matalan - £20 and although the outer layer is 1005 cotton, the lining is 80% polyester.

Is it worth paying the extra money for a skirt that has a cotton lining rather than polyester?

I think I might mean viscose not acrylic

I think you do

I never considered fabric content before I came in here. I must admit that I feel much more comfortable now that I have ditched 100% polyester. I don't think I could fully avoid it and do wear a high natural fibre mix.

Just out of interest what is 'high end' polyester and what makes it difference from the usual polyester?

I think it looks cheap and usually is badly fitting.

I bought an Issey Miyake Pleats Please skirt from EBay it's 100% polyester. I usually avoid it, but it's great for travelling just hand wash no ironing and in a hot country it's dries in ten minutes. I paid around £100 for it full price would be £200+ which insane. I would like to know the difference between regular polyester and high end surely it's all the same?

There's differences between low end cotton and high end cotton too and wool and linen, just like there is with anything you can buy. High end polyester will hang better and feel nicer to touch. It will still be sweaty though as it's still plastic so not very breathable.

But what makes it high end? Sorry to ask, I just don't really understand, I would have thought the composition would be the same regardless.

Polyester is just a fibre like cotton or wool, just made of a type of plastic instead. How you make that fibre into a fabric affects the quality of the fabric - different weaves, different treatments. Have you noticed how some cottons are soft and some are harder? Some weaves are tight, some are more open? All that contributes to the quality of a fabric.

I am ok with it (just as well on my budget) because EVERYTHING else is bloody viscose. Not that does make me sweat!

I've just bought a poly shirt... now that the weather is cooling down think I'll be ok and it doesn't feel too plasticy.... I do remember having to wear horrible plasticky shirts for one job as part of the uniform... in the middle of summer it was not good!

Agree that poly can range from poor to good quality

uguisustore.com/products/backorder-kna-plus-pleated-eco-bag-small-silver-beige?variant=31986494480

I have a couple of these bags from Japan. Label says they are 100% polyester but are biodegradable as they are corn based.

The worst thing about Polyester and other synthetic materials (as well as any plastic used in our daily lives) is that it ends up in the Oceans and wider ecosystems destroying life and ultimately ending up in our bodies - including our children's. In my opinion the most important reason to try to choose sustainable materials. Read for example:
www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/20/microfibers-plastic-pollution-oceans-patagonia-synthetic-clothes-microbeads

Lots of the Maje dresses are 100% polyester they hang beautifully and are crease free but I di begrudge £££ for polyester.

I have no problem with polyester but I'm not a sweater really. I have two skirts with cotton lining - both are a nightmare.

And the holier-than-thou cotton fans might like to glance at this. Nothing we wear leaves the planet unscathed...

The fabric that seems to have the least environmental impact is linen. Cotton uses loads of water (although most of the famous 10,000 L for a pair of jeans is in the washing of it while you own it and wear it). Viscose production is not great, silk kills worms, polyester is plastic (it is a way to recycle plastic at least), wool is a bioproduct of the meat industry etc etc. The trouble is we all have too many clothes and if we wore fewer clothes more often and paid more for those clothes then the clothing industry would be less of an issue.

But that is true for everything we consume, think how often phones or other electrical goods are replaced. I have a camera of my grandmothers from the 1950s, it was an expensive camera, good lens and medium format film. It still works. My digital SLR is less than 10 years old and is giving up the ghost (been expensively repaired already as well).

The trouble is we all have too many clothes and if we wore fewer clothes more often and paid more for those clothes then the clothing industry would be less of an issue.

I couldn't agree more and I for one intend to stop clothes shopping just "for fun".

(Today I'm wearing an outfit I bought 13 years ago in Australia!)

Tencel/lyocel is a nice alternative to cotton and synthetics. It’s made from wood pulp, lower impact than cotton but is biodegradable and doesn’t shed microfibres.
It’s not that easy to find though, whistles has a bit

People moan about it being synthetic and not very breathable. I get that but so called 'breathable' 'natural' fabrics such as viscose, lyocell/tencel actually bring me out in a huge sweat at my back neck and forehead. I am normally ok in polyester.

It’s not always sweaty. Polyester sportswear is breathable and wicks away sweat. It’s also very quick drying and doesn’t wrinkle easily. It’s also good for waterproof clothes.
Normal clothes do tend to be sweaty though, and I don’t like the feel of it against my skin (shudder).

I never thought of polyester/synthetics being used in higher end clothing but it seems to be quite common.

I am trying to lose weight and one thought worries me is that whatever size I end up, there will still shops full to the brim of viscose, however much I end up spending!

I guess we are all different in the way our skin reacts (polyester is ok for me for a few hours but then really itchy, while wool is mostly sublimely comfy). But we're also different in the way we perceive visually. For me polyester doesn't fall right as natural fabrics do.