POLYESTER

Polyester is a manufactured product, usually a textile that is made from synthesized

polymers. It tends to be very resilient, quick drying, resistant to biological damage such as
mold and mildew, easy to wash and able to hold forms well. Although polyester is often
maligned as a textile, it has many useful applications. It is, however, highly flammable, so
care should be taken when wearing it. Many synthetic fabrics are subject to flammability
because they are made from polymers. Polyester is a synthetic fibre derived from coal, air,
water, and petroleum. Developed in a 20th-century laboratory, polyester fibres are formed
from a chemical reaction between an acid and alcohol. In this reaction, two or more
molecules combine to make a large molecule whose structure repeats throughout its length.
Polyester fibres can form very long molecules that are very stable and strong. Polyester is
used in the manufacture of many products, including clothing, home furnishings, industrial
fabrics, computer and recording tapes, and electrical insulation. Polyester has several
advantages over traditional fabrics such as cotton. It does not absorb moisture, but does
absorb oil; this quality makes polyester the perfect fabric for the application of water-, soil-,
and fire-resistant finishes. Its low absorbency also makes it naturally resistant to stains.
Polyester clothing can be preshrink in the finishing process, and thereafter the fabric resists
shrinking and will not stretch out of shape. The fabric is easily dye able, and not damaged by
mildew. Textured polyester fibres are an effective, nonallergenic insulator, so the material is
used for filling pillows, quilting, outerwear, and sleeping bags. Polyester is the most widely
used fibre in the world. It accounts for roughly half of the overall fibre market and around
80% of synthetics fibre, according to the Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Materials Report
2017.

The Manufacturing Process

Polyester is manufactured by one of several methods. The one used depends on
the form the finished polyester will take. The four basic forms are filament,
staple, tow, and fiberfill. In the filament form, each individual strand of
polyester fiber is continuous in length, producing smooth-surfaced fabrics. In
staple form, filaments are cut to short, predetermined lengths. In this form
polyester is easier to blend with other fibers. Tow is a form in which continuous
filaments are drawn loosely together. Fiberfill is the voluminous form used in
the manufacture of quilts, pillows, and outerwear. The two forms used most
frequently are filament and staple

Properties Of Polyester
To the average consumer, who is not a chemist, polyester is an extraordinary
fiber with many desirable properties. Polyester is strong, both dry and wet. It is
considered to be easy-care since it can be washed, dried quickly, and resists
wrinkling. It holds up well in use because it has high resistance to stretching,
shrinking, most chemicals, abrasion, mildew, and moths.
As with all fibers, polyester has some properties that are not desirable. While
resistant to water-born stains, polyester is an oil scavenger. Due to its strength,
polyester, particularly when cut into short staple lengths, does form pills
(becomes rough with little balls). Polyester will burn with a strong odor and the
molten residue can cause severe burns to the skin. Because polyester has low
absorbency, it can become uncomfortable in hot weather. This problem has
been addressed by making polyester fibers with multilobal cross sections (as
opposed to round ones). Since the multilobal fibers cannot pack together as
tightly as round ones, perspiration can be wicked (carried on the surface of the
fibers) away from the body, thereby improving the wearer’s comfort.

Care Of Polyester
Polyester is often blended with other fibers that require different care
procedures. For this reason care procedures may vary across fabrics.

For 100 percent polyester fabrics, oily stains should be removed before
washing. Generally they can be machine washed on a warm or cold setting
using a gentle cycle. They can be tumble dried on a low setting and should be
removed from the dryer as soon as the cycle is completed. Garments should
immediately be either hung on hangers or folded. When handled in this way,
fabrics made from 100 percent polyester rarely need ironing. If a touch-up is
needed, it should be done at a moderate temperature on the wrong side of the
fabric.

Some garments made from polyester or polyester blends may require dry
cleaning. Tailored garments with multiple components, such as suits, may need
to be drycleaned. It is important to follow care instructions and not assume that
dry cleaning is better than washing. Pigment prints on polyester should not be
dry cleaned, as the solvent would dissolve the adhesive that holds the pigment
on the surface of the fabric.
Raw Materials used in polyester
ester, a basic organic chemical compound. The principle ingredient used in the manufacture
of polyester is ethylene, which is derived from petroleum. In this process, ethylene is the
polymer, the chemical building block of polyester, and the chemical Polyester is a chemical
term which can be broken into poly, meaning many, process that produces the finished
polyester is called polymerization.
Dyeing
Polyester is an extremely difficult type of fabric to dye, especially if the garment is 100% polyester.
This is because polyester is a synthetic fabric made from petroleum, and due to the manufacturing
process, it is essentially plastic. Therefore, polyester is hydrophobic and lacks ionic
properties. However, there are a couple of products that are able to dye polyester and polyester
blends. The first thing you should know about dyeing polyester is until recent years, it used to be
very difficult for anyone to dye polyester due to the availability of dyes, the use of auxiliary
chemicals that can be noxious, as well as the process requiring incredibly high water temperatures.
Thankfully dye recipes have improved and now several manufacturers offer dye specifically
formulated for dyeing polyester at home.

Another very important thing you should be aware of when dyeing polyester is the results you can
expect. Polyester is not a fabric that can be dyed to a dark deep color.polyester fibres cannot be
dyed dark and will usually only achieve a pastel like colour or a shade darker. People incorrectly
associate this as an issue with the dye performance but it is actually the fibre itself. Secondly, many
polyester fabrics have a permanent press finish which must be removed before successful dyeing
can be achieved. The only easy method of dyeing polyester is immersion dyeing, sorry tie-dye fans,
and this is due to the heat requirements.

END USES OF POLYESTER

Polyester is used in manufacturing of many products, such as clothing, home furnishings,

industrial fabrics, computer, recording tapes, and electrical insulation. It has several advantages
over traditional fabrics as it does not absorb moisture. Its low absorbency also makes it
naturally resistant to stains. Polyester clothing can be pre-shrunk in the finishing process. This
makes it resist shrinking and it doesn't stretch out of shape. The fabric can be dyed easily, and
is mildew resistant too. Textured polyester fibres are an effective, non-allergenic insulator, thus
it is used for filling pillows, quilting, outerwear, and sleeping bags.