Polyester Fabric and Its Various Properties

There exist a wide variety of fabrics. Some of them are manmade, others are natural. Some fabrics are processed on machines in order to be able to be used, and others are used in their raw form. These textile fabrics are usually available in the form of yarn and fabric. These fabrics and yarns come in a large variety. One such example is polyester fabric.

The Polyester Material:

Polyester is a synthetic fiber. It is made up of long chains of ester polymer. It can be divided into two types: saturated polymer and unsaturated polymer. It has a silky appearance and a smooth luster.

The Polyester Properties:

Due to its special features, it has many advantages over other manmade and natural fibers. Polyester fabric has immense strength. This makes it a strong fabric which is used to make many substances for rough, daily use. The fabric is also highly durable and lasts a long time. It does not shrink or stretch to lose its shape. This allows the clothes made from it to retain their form and style. The fabric is free from the abrasion and does not pill.

Another feature of polyester is that it dries quickly. It can be hand and machine washed. Some clothes made of polyester come with the strict instructions for it to be dry –cleaned only. Dust and dirt does not settle on it easily. This makes it easier to clean the clothes and other things made of polyester fabric.

Polyester can be blended with other synthetic materials to produce fabrics with combined or new characteristics. It is, usually, blended with fabrics like cotton, to make it resistant to wrinkles. Now, clothes made with this type of cloth look crisp and neat all through the day. Some of these blends do not even need to be ironed. And therefore, they are fit for wash- and – wear.

This property to make new fabrics by blending two or more fabrics has led to the manufacture of fabric which is water resistant. Polyester is a fabric that has low water absorption. Due to this property, it dries faster than some other fabrics like cotton, georgette and chiffon. Polyester can be dyed into many different shades and hues. Chemical dyes are used to give it color. It has the ability to retain color better and does not fade away like cotton fabrics.

Apart from these features, the polyester fabric exhibits many more properties which are unique to it. Mild chemicals do not have any impact on it. Fungi and bacterial agents like molds and mildew cannot affect the cloth in any way. It is safe from the affects of the environmental forces of rain, sun and hot or cold winds.

The polyester fabric material is also used for the purpose of making clothes which are insulated and free from the effects of heat and cold. On the negative side, these fabrics are highly inflammable. Great care should be taken while wearing them.

There was a need to have a lighter fabric which possesses all the qualities and can be durable. An army duck canvas fabric is a good example of it which used in army specifications.