Does High Grade Polyester Exist?
Is high-grade polyester even a thing? And why are we talking about it?
Well, if you have been on tiktok these past few days, you will have probably seen the latest fashion brand being called out for their claim to slow sustainable fashion and the use of polyester. This has people questioning what the hell is high grade polyester, and is it just greenwashing. Again?
So, not to delve into the drama, since we are more about diplomacy and education here, the truth is high-grade polyester does exist.
Polyester is easily dismissed as a cheap, synthetic fabric, yet there are versions that are significantly more refined in terms of feel, performance, and environmental impact.
When I think of polyester, I am transported back to my nana’s closet, that I had the honour of emptying out every time she moved to a new place, which felt like every year. My job was to carry her houseplants and her clothes.
She smoked at the time, and it being the 80s, this meant she smoked everywhere. In her house, in our house, in restaurants, in the plane when she would take her trips back to her home country of England.
I can still feel the weight, texture and smell of those clothes. The feel was scratchy, heavy and truly awful. But she loved these clothes as she didn’t have to iron them. They were easy to care for, held their shape and wore well. That was the deciding factor for most of her life. The less maintenance the better. This is how the houseplants were slowly replaced with plastic versions, and why she never remarried after my gramps died while she was only in her early 60s. She would say, why would I want to have to look after another man??? Another story and a different topic :)
But polyester has come a long way since then, and when we talk about the yarns from then vs the yarns now, high grade is in fact a thing.
What Defines High-Grade Polyester?
1. Fibre Quality
Yarns are finer denier yarns creating a smoother, silkier finish. Denier is a unit of measurement used to describe the thickness of individual fibres in a fabric. In this instance, the yarns would be a lower denier.
Higher-grade polyesters have consistent filament thickness and fewer imperfections creating uniformity.
2. Weave or Knit Construction
Tightly woven or knitted polyester feels more luxurious and performs better, like in wrinkle resistance or drape. Polyester satin would be an example of a garment holding it’s shape well while also being wrinkle resistant for dresses, blouses and trousers.
3. Finishing Treatments
Brushed, peached, or sanded finishes improve softness.
Moisture-wicking, antimicrobial, and anti-pilling treatments are often applied in performance and athleisurewear.
4. Recycled Options
rPET (recycled polyester) from post-consumer bottles or textile waste is often considered higher grade in sustainability contexts. This has been a questionable practice as there has been a rumour in the industry of manufacturers using new bottles for rPET, and claiming it to be post-consumer bottles.
Some recycled polyester fibres are engineered to match virgin quality like in the yarns from REPREVE or Seaqual.
5. Blending and Functionality
Blended with natural fibres like cotton or TENCEL (if you’ve been following me for awhile, you known TENCEL is easily one of my favourites), polyester can improve durability and wrinkle resistance.
In technical garments, it's chosen for moisture-wicking, lightweight, and quick-dry properties.
Common High-Grade Uses
Luxury outerwear linings
High-performance sportswear
Designer pleated garments
High-quality recycled swimwear fabrics
Summary
After all of that, would I recommend claiming high-grade polyester as sustainable? Nope, I sure wouldn’t. Even if it helps create longevity in the product, I would look to other ways of marketing the product under a different umbrella than sustainable. And, truth be told, I would look to other fibre compositions for the same, if not better, aesthetic.