Why I Don’t Wear Polyester

For those interested: The NYTimes article on polyester via Deeply Superficial.


Now, why I don’t wear polyester:

  • I only get a haircut every 3 months or so. Which means, a fair amount of the time, my hair is sitting on my shoulders, touching my clothes. Polyester causes static. But then so does silk. And cashmere. Oh well!
  • Because it doesn’t breathe, I am invariably too hot or too cold when wearing it. I’m a wimp. I don’t need any help being hot or cold.
  • Smells and stains positively cling to polyester.
  • Petroleum-based fibers are made from, you guessed it, petroleum. The stuff that makes the world go ’round. If it were not being made into disposable clothing, it could be heating homes. This is the one I guessed you wouldn’t have thought of.
    .

To be completely honest, I do have items that are lined with polyester. And my navy blazer and a few very nice dressy items that are hard to find in any other fabric. But for my everyday clothing I prefer cotton and wool.

Interested in sustainable style? I recommend the excellent and very thorough blog at the crossroads of style and sustainability, fiftyRX3.

7 thoughts on “Why I Don’t Wear Polyester”

  1. You are so right! I did wear that leopard print shirt once this winter and I ended up being outside more than I had planned. I froze!

    The funny thing is I don’t remember it always bothering me. But now I sure enjoy a nice smooth cotton.

  2. Hi Rebecca,

    I had commented on this yesterday, but for some reason it’s not showing up! Anyway, I’ll comment again since I told you over at MInTheGap that I would be over!

    I enjoyed the blog on polyester. I never wear the stuff if I can help it! I usually try to buy or make only cotton because I love it the best. I will wear some wool and silk, but silk feels the same to me in some ways. That sweaty feeling in the summer and the freezing feeling in the winter. I always say that polyester makes me feel as though I’m wearing Saran Wrap!

    Yes, I knew that polyester is petroleum-based, but just because my sister is a chiropractor and she keeps me updated on things like that. She thinks that no one should ever sleep in polyester because it does not let your skin breathe. I tend to agree and I sleep better in cotton. Everyone always says that cotton wrinkles so badly…give me the wrinkles any day…I’d much rather be comfortable! Deb

  3. Deborah ~ so glad to see you here!

    Cotton is the best, isn’t it? But I have found recently that I just can’t stay warm enough in it in the winter. What is really nice is a smooth, light cotton shirt under a wool sweater.

    I agree about silk, too. I only have a few things that are silk and I definitely only wear it in the winter. It feels deceptively light, but I’m told that silk is actually the warmest fiber. I do wear silk pants under my jeans everyday in the winter.

    Your sister makes a good point. And I would not have connected polyester being petroleum-based with energy conservation issues if my dad weren’t a chemical engineer/ fuels researcher (so high up there I have no idea what the technical term is).

    I wonder if that is why some people smell so bad when they get up in the morning? And what about the bedding in hotels? We always take our own down comforter with, if at all possible!

    Thanks for commenting!

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  5. Ame Rica (@Bellafiguramia)

    Normalizing polyester in jeans hype like getting the consumer to accept and believe that canola oil is a good thing. Due to cotton fiber cost increase in the last few years, manufacturers are now adding a high polyester content in jeans (labels show 23 -28% ). This is an abomination by manufacturers of jean fabrics for any reason. I’ve purchased several brands, and I couldn’t less dislike the feel of these Frankenstein jeans. The first problem is the breatheability of polyester which is non existent. Second, when new or after washing they seem to fit properly, then immediately stretch more than I ever experienced with all other cotton jeans. This spin is about profit, since polyester is petroleum. Why would I want petroleum next to my skin. Haven’t we learned that toxins are absorbed by our skin. skin. BAN all polyester in all clothing especially jeans.

    1. Thank you for contributing your thoughts! I agree with you. And it seems to be getting worse since I originally posted this.

      I wish online retailers would get with the program and allow us to filter out polyester products!

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