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Fashion & Textiles vocabulary · Fibres & Fabrics

Polyester

Meaning in fashion & textiles, with examples

/ˌpɒliˈestə/nounCore term

In fashion & textiles, polyester means: A strong synthetic fibre made from oil-based chemicals; it dries quickly, resists creasing and is the most produced textile fibre in the world.

In Turkish: polyester

How it is used

Common in sportswear, linings, outerwear and blends with cotton or viscose. Recycled polyester, often made from PET bottles, is a frequent topic in sustainability discussions. Its weak points are pilling, static and lower breathability.

Example sentences

  1. The lining is 100% recycled polyester made from plastic bottles.

  2. Adding 35% polyester to the cotton will reduce shrinkage and creasing.

Common collocations

  • recycled polyester
  • polyester blend
  • polycotton
  • polyester lining
  • fibreA very thin, long strand of natural or man-made material that is spun into yarn to make fabric, such as cotton, wool, polyester or viscose.
  • cottonA soft natural fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, and the yarn or fabric made from it; the most widely used natural fibre in clothing.
  • pillingThe forming of small balls of fibre on the surface of a fabric when it is rubbed during wear or washing.
  • liningA layer of thin fabric sewn inside a garment to hide the seams, help it slide on easily, add warmth or give it a cleaner shape.
  • sustainable fashionClothing designed, made and sold in ways that reduce harm to the environment and treat workers fairly, for example through better materials, less waste and longer use.

More terms: Fibres & Fabrics

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