Unveiling 'Toxic Fashion': Polyester

This post was previously published on www.anitawasik.com/blog

The fashion industry is growing by nearly 9% each year, with clothing production rising significantly from 62 million tonnes in 2015 to an expected 102 million tonnes by 2030 (Statista, 2024). Driven by growing consumer demand, we are purchasing more clothes than ever, wearing them less frequently, and generating increasing amounts of waste. The fashion industry is defined not only by overconsumption, environmental harm, and unfair labor practices, but also by its profound effects on our health.

Today, around 70% of clothing is made from synthetic fibers, with polyester being the most widely used. While it is praised for its affordability, durability, and wrinkle resistance, polyester's production and widespread use have serious environmental and health implications. The material, which has been around since the 1920s (Loasby, 1951), is not only found in clothing but also in products ranging from household items like towels and blankets to automotive parts and food packaging.

POLYESTER PRODUCTION

Polyester is primarily composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a form of plastic created through a complex process involving crude oil, meaning an unrefined petroleum, and chemicals?(Gubbels et al., 2018). The manufacturing of polyester involves several energy-intensive steps:

• Monomer Creation: Petroleum is refined to extract ethylene and p-xylene, the building blocks for polyester.
• Polymer Formation: These monomers combine with dimethyl terephthalate to form PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a plastic similar to what’s used in bottles.
• Pellet Extrusion: PET is dried, hardened, and cut into small pellets.
• Fiber Spinning: The pellets are melted and extruded through tiny holes to create threads, which cool into polyester fibers.
• Yarn Production: The fibers are twisted into yarn, ready for fabric knitting or further chemical modifications for specific textures.

The production process can be adjusted in various ways depending on the desired outcome.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Polyester production and use contribute to various forms of environmental degradation. Toxic chemicals used in manufacturing contaminate local water supplies and soil. Polyester garments shed microplastics during washing and use, which accumulate in oceans and waterways. As a non-biodegradable material, polyester persists in the environment for hundreds of years to decompose, contributing to long-term environmental issues. Moreover, polyester garments shed microplastics during washing and use, which accumulate in oceans and waterways (reviewed in Liu et al., 2022).??

HEALTH EFFECTS

Polyester isn't just bad for the planet; it might be messing with our health too. The use of polyester textiles may pose several health risks.

• Skin Irritation: Polyester has been linked to skin sensitivity and allergic reactions (Paste et al., 2023).
• Bacterial Growth: Due to its moisture-trapping properties, polyester can create an environment that promotes bacterial proliferation (Wang et al., 2015).
• Microplastic Ingestion: Polyester fabrics shed microplastics, which humans may inadvertently ingest. This can have long-term health consequences, including the generation of free radicals, oxidative stress, changes in gene expression, increased inflammation, endocrine disruption, and potential reproductive, neuronal, and behavioral disorders.
• Chronic Illnesses: Textile factory workers are more frequently diagnosed with respiratory diseases and musculoskeletal disorders compared to the general population, suggesting that workplace exposure may contribute to these health issues (Zele et al., 2021).
• Cancer Risk: Villagers living near polluted waterways have much higher cancer rates than the national average, highlighting the dangerous impact of pollution from the fashion industry (Lora-Wainwright, 2018).

AVOIDING POLYESTER AND NATURAL ALTERNATIVES

To mitigate both the environmental and health impacts of polyester, consider these healthier, sustainable alternatives:

• Organic Cotton: Grown without synthetic chemicals, organic cotton helps reduce water usage and pesticide pollution. It’s also less likely to cause skin irritation or allergic reactions compared to polyester.
• Hemp: A fast-growing plant that requires minimal pesticides and water, hemp produces durable fibers that are less likely to contribute to microplastic pollution. Hemp fabrics are also breathable and less likely to cause skin sensitivity issues.
• Linen: Derived from flax plants, linen is biodegradable and requires less water than cotton. Linen is naturally hypoallergenic, reducing the risk of skin irritation, and is a better alternative for those with sensitive skin.

CONCLUSION

While polyester offers certain advantages in textile production, its environmental and health impacts are significant. As awareness grows, the shift towards more sustainable and natural alternatives becomes increasingly important for both individual and planetary well-being.?

REFERENCES

Gubbels K,?Heitz T,?Yamamoto M,?Chilekar V,?Zarbakhsh S,?Gepraegs M,?K?pnick H,?Wilhelm Brügging?M,?Rüter J,?Kaminsky W. Polyesters. Wiley Online Library, 2018.

Liu J, Liu Q, An L, Wang M, Yang Q, Zhu B, Ding J, Ye C, Xu Y. Microfiber Pollution in the Earth System. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol. 2022;260(1):13.

Loasby, G. (1951). The development of the synthetic fibres. Journal of the Textile Institute Proceedings. 42(8), P411–P441.

Lora-Wainwright, Anna. China’s “Cancer Villages”: The Social, Political, and Economic Contexts of Pollution'. Resigned Activism: Living with Pollution in Rural China. MIT Press Scholarship Online, 18 Jan. 2018.

Paste V, Tiwari RR, Kamath R. Dermatological Symptoms among Polyester Dyeing and Printing Workers in Mumbai. Indian J Dermatol. 2023 May-Jun;68(3):268-273.

Statista, 2024. https://www.statista.com/outlook/emo/fashion/worldwide

Wang L, Fan D, Chen W, Terentjev EM. Bacterial growth, detachment and cell size control on polyethylene terephthalate surfaces. Sci Rep. 2015 Oct 14;5:15159.

Zele YT, Kumie A, Deressa W, Br?tveit M, Moen BE. Registered health problems and demographic profile of integrated textile factory workers in Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2021 Aug 9;21(1):1526.

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