This substance surely has its upsides though polyester has gotten lots of flack before. While we often associate it with ’70s-style clothing, today’s polyester is used for everything from outdoor fabric to pillow stuffing to window panes. You’d be amazed at the pros of polyester — find out here, and see more about that which we use this man-made substance for now.
Design Public
Inhabit Why Not Graphic Pillow, in Scarlet and Soy – $60
Polyester fabric is a synthetic fabric; it is completely man-made and not derived from a plant or an animal. The polyester fiber is created by heating petroleum and gas to form strong chips. These chips are melted and spun into a thread-like fiber. A machine using a winding tube spins the fibers to add stretchiness and elasticity, then the yarn is woven into fabric.
While polyester is inexpensive to create, is easy to clean and resists stretching, wrinkles and mildew, it also has its drawbacks. Polyester batting for quilts and cushion is less expensive than down, but unlike down, it tends to flatten out and clump with time.
As a petroleum-based solution, it also has a wide range of negative impacts on the environment. The fantastic news is that several companies are currently making polyester thread out of recycled plastic bottles rather than oil — as in this cushion from Design Public.
Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets
Polyester carpeting tends to be less expensive than nylon, but it has several drawbacks: It is not as resistant to oil-based stains, and it tends to mat and crush much more readily than nylon. Some polyester carpeting can emit potentially harmful gases when fresh.
Builder-grade polyester rug can cost as little as $10 each yard, compared to nylon of the same caliber for $14 each yard.
Polyester can be a fantastic selection for sheers and drapes, since it tends to withstand the sun and is more readily washable than other textiles. It’s often used on outdoor furniture, also, as it’s resistant to sun damage, wrinkles and mildew, and it dries quickly. The price of the majority of polyester outdoor fabric starts at around $15 a lawn. Keep in mind that whatever oil based can be spotted from by polyester.
Silva Studios Architecture
Of course, polyester is not only used for textiles. This translucent ceiling is constructed from a wise glass substitution: Kalwall, an extremely durable product made with polyester among the foundation elements. Developed in the 1950s, this substance didn’t gain traction before the ’70s, when it was eventually recognized for its superior energy efficiency.
Read more about Kalwall
Winn Wittman Architecture
Color like this green is often applied using a polyester powder coating. The process binds better to alloy than paint does, forming a skin which tends to be much more powerful. Powder coatings tend to be much more environmentally friendly than typical paint or other coatings, since its overspray can be recycled. Most powder coatings emit zero or low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), too.