Polyester

Now that you're up to speed on recycling (and if not, you can go read our previous article), let's take a closer look at polyester. Because this synthetic fiber derived from petroleum makes up a very, very large majority of fabrics (70% of the fibers used in the textile industry) (1).

Here are its advantages: - it can be produced from recycled plastics (note that this is not always the case), - has desirable characteristics such as the fact that it hardly wrinkles, doesn't shrink, absorbs almost no moisture (and therefore wicks away perspiration easily), - finally, it is an inexpensive material to manufacture.

However, polyester has some (major) drawbacks. While it can be produced through recycling, this isn't always the case. Approximately 70 million barrels of oil (2) are needed for its production each year. Oil means water consumption, and also the emission of toxic fumes (among other things). That's all for his production.

Let's continue with its drawbacks. Washing polyester is polluting because each time it's washed, microparticles are released into the wastewater. These particles aren't filtered out because they're too small for wastewater treatment plants, and they end up in the oceans. To limit the environmental impact of your polyester clothes, you can use a Guppy Friend bag (3), which retains at least 90% of microplastic particles.

You can also choose to stop bringing polyester into your wardrobe, even if it's a second-hand garment. Reading the labels will tell you everything, especially since it's found in so many fabrics, blended with natural fibers.

If you're still not convinced, consider that a team of researchers from Hong Kong (4) has demonstrated that drying polyester clothes releases textile microfibers into your home, as few domestic tumble dryers are equipped with filters. And these particles will very likely be inhaled.

To end on a more positive note, it's worth remembering that nearly one in five French people (18%) have bought organic cotton clothing in the last 12 months (5). What about you?

Sources:

1 https://main-gauche.com/blogs/polyester-avantages-et-inconvenients

2 https://www.lesoptimistes.fr/tout-savoir-sur-le-polyester/

3 https://en.guppyfriend.com/

4 https://www.geo.fr/environnement/pollution-les-seche-linges-crachent-des-microfibres-dans-lair-ambiant-208050

5 https://www.ipsos.com/fr-fr/les-francais-et-la-mode-durable