7 Usual Questions with Simple Answers About Polyester

Many people have lots of queries about polyester, and these queries are really important for handling this sensitive and also sophisticated fabric. Someone is scared to use Iron on it, while someone is worried about putting them in a hot dryer. All the users want to have precise answers to deal with this unique fabric because just a little bit of mishandling can ruin it. Likewise, no one wants to damage their expensive clothes just because of a lack of instructions. But you don’t need to stress out anymore because we have gathered some common questions to answer all of them in the simplest way anyone can understand.

Besides, producers also apply instruction tags about washing them in a safe way. Similarly, makers around the world use the finest quality of solid polyester fiber for premium standards of clothing, upholstery, etc. Moreover, polyester is also common in the automobile industry for interior covers. It’s time to get to the main part and answer your usual questions about handling polyester fabric.  

What is Polyester?

A man-made fabric, which is also known as Polyethylene Terephthalate in the chemical term. Basically, it is a synthetic fiber, which is similar to plastic. Moreover, it is one of the four types of synthetic fibers, which are rayon, acrylic, nylon, and polyester. If we look at its origin, it belongs to a broad polyester family, which is widely used in numerous products. In addition, it is washable, water-resistant, thin, highly breathable, and stretchable. All these features help it become a very convenient fabric in many industries.

 

What are Some Uses of Polyester?

Polyester is among the primary elements in some industries, as we have mentioned earlier. Without it, you can’t produce good-quality products like sportswear, upholstery, etc. To understand its wide usage in many industries, have a look at some of the most common products of polyester.  

1. Clothing

2. Upholstery and pillow stuffing

3. Ropes

4. Footwear

5. Caps

6. Bedsheets

7. Carpets

8. Laundry bags

9. Tents

10. Automobiles (seat covers, seat belts, carpets, and airbags)

 

Is Polyester Waterproof?

To some extent, it is waterproof because if you call it water-resistant, that will be better. Polyester can hold water just for a few moments but not for long because once the water penetrates through its strands, you can’t do anything about it. Moreover, it dries out quickly because of this feature. Some uppers are made up of polyester, which somehow protects shirts from liquid stains. So, if you use a jacket or upper, make sure the water can’t stay long on it.

 

Can You Dye Polyester?

Since polyester is water-resistant, it will be a struggle to dye it. However, there are some ways you can use to do so. You will have to use dispersed dye, which is specifically made for polyester and similar fabrics. Furthermore, you will have to use boiled water to make this fabric absorb dispersed dye completely. The reason is that dispersed dye can’t dissolve in water at normal temperature unless it increases that temperature to reach its boiling point. Even 100% polyester will absorb it as this method is efficient for these conditions. 

What you need to do here is fill a bucket with boiled water, add dispersed dye in it, and then stir it completely. Now, add polyester fabric to it and let it soak the dye thoroughly. Leave it for around 10 minutes and take it out to dry it. Also, it may shrink slightly because it is a high-temperature sensitive fabric.

 

Does Polyester Shrink in the Dryer?

Polyester has a weakness, which is high heat. Since it has similarities with plastic, it can shrink in the dryer if the temperature of a dryer is above 140 degrees. Similarly, if you wash or leave it soaked in hot water, it will start to shrink. That’s why if you are going to put it in a dryer, beware of the temperature limit. However, you can use a very short period in the dryer to dry it because this fabric does not need that much effort to dry. Even if you hang out for a few minutes, it will dry out soon.

 

How to Get Wrinkles Out of Polyester?

If you are looking to remove wrinkles from polyester fabric, there are some simple ways you can use it. As we know that this fabric is high-temperature sensitive, we can’t use Iron on it, but there is a steam method you can use. Here, you can either use a clothes steamer, or you can hang your clothes in a steamy place. In the first method, if you own a clothes steamer, just use it and precisely remove wrinkles from the clothes without any need for Iron. 

While in the second method, you can hang your clothes in a bathroom, where they can absorb the steam from a hot water bath. Besides, you can fill a water-spray bottle with hot water and spray it on your clothes. After a few minutes, they will dry, and all the wrinkles will go away.   

 

Can You Bleach Polyester?

Yes, you can use oxygen bleach on your polyester clothes. If you want to whiten your clothes, you can use oxygen/biodegradable bleach instead of chlorine bleach. Due to the yellowish look after using chlorine bleach, it is better to avoid that type. Since chlorine molecules can react with polyester molecules, they will end up turning your clothes pale or yellowish color. So, the best way to bleach your clothes will be by using oxygen bleach. 

 

How to Iron Polyester?

What if some people do not have any clothes steamers? There must be a way to remove wrinkles with heat without damaging the fabric. Well, there is a way for that, where you can use Iron on it. But first, you will have to put a cotton cloth on polyester fabric. Now you can iron it gently with mild heat so only wrinkles can be removed without causing any damage to the polyester. 

 

Our Suggestion

With the help of all these answers, you can go easy with polyester fabric. From washing to dyeing to drying, you can easily handle this amazing fabric. 

 

Read more: 

 

Recycled Polyester Fibers- Manufacturing In An Eco-Friendly Way!