Clothing is an integral part of the human body. People have conducted extensive research and creativity to obtain comfortable clothing that suits their preferences. Various materials have been studied and created to meet their standards and criteria.

Initially, people made clothing from natural materials such as silk, cotton, and wool. However, synthetic fibres were first discovered in 1939 and developed in 1941 by British chemists John Rex Whinfield and Tennant Dickson. These synthetic fibres are called polyester. Although polyester was initially used for industrial purposes such as heat-resistant coatings, in the 1950s and 1960s, polyester fibre fabrics began to be introduced and mass-produced for clothing production in America. At that time, polyester fabric was known for being wrinkle-resistant.

Polyester fibre is made from the chemical compounds ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid, combined with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) derived from petroleum. Despite being used for clothing, polyester is fundamentally a type of plastic. The polyester material used for clothing starts as chips and is then spun into threads.

Today, polyester is often used in combination with natural fibres. There are three types of polyester materials used as the basis for clothing fibres:

1. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)

This type of polyester material is the most used for finished clothing and has a fast production time. It is also recyclable.

2. Poly1,4-cyclohexylenedim-ethylene terephthalate (PCDT)

PCDT polyester material, when compared to PET polyester, is more flexible and elastic. It is commonly used as the base material for textile fabrics for window curtains or various furniture coverings.

3. Synthetic yarn

Fabrics made from synthetic polyester yarn are more like natural fabrics compared to other polyester types. Therefore, synthetic yarn is widely used for making clothing.

Although widely used as a clothing material, polyester has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of polyester include durability, hydrophobic properties (quick drying), resistance to wrinkling, and the ability to retain body heat. The disadvantages include low sweat absorption, poor air circulation, flammability, poor recyclability, and less eco-friendly.

Source(s): Collected from various sources.