The Sewing Place

The king of polyester fabric

UttaRetch

The king of polyester fabric
« on: February 07, 2018, 09:05:23 AM »
A lot of people are down on polyester, but I always say it depends on the quality.  This factory in Japan is producing fabric of the highest grade.

Edited to fix link.
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 15:59:44 PM by UttaRetch »

Greybird

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2018, 12:48:29 PM »
I agree UR. A good quality polyester is far better than a poor quality cotton or wool.

BrendaP

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2018, 13:09:59 PM »
@UttaRetch the link you posted goes to someone's blog about making some pyjamas, nothing about a factory in Japan!

There's polyester and there's polyester.  Fibre/fabric production has moved on a lot since the Crimplene of the 1960s!

A lot of "technical" or "sports" fabrics are polyester, or polyester with elastane, and for good reason.  It's quick drying and it's  more resistant to fading from UV.  It can also be a wicking fabric - ie wicks moisture away from the body.  Cotton does exactly the opposite, it absorbs moisture.  In harsh conditions that could even be the difference between life and death!

That's not to say that polyester is always a good choice.  Bed sheets are more comfortable if they are 100% cotton,  or have a high percentage of cotton,  because they will absorb the moisture, but polyester (or nylon) sheets don't.

It comes down to knowing the properties of each type of fibre and knowing what is required for whatever your sewing project is.  In general natural fibres are absorbent, easy to sew but crease easily whist synthetics are non-absorbent, quick drying but can be slippery and more difficult to sew.


 
Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

arrow

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2018, 13:35:24 PM »
Quality matters, and what type of garment and useage. It's ideal for situations like hospital visits when things need to be practical. We live on earth, ironing boards and plenty of time for cleaning and drying just isn't there.

My favorite is cotton, no doubt. Shirts, trousers, t-shirts, mercerised twill weave is a favorite..Even for the daily round on my bike I prefer cotton, maximum 20% polyester. Those are cheap, not the most durable quality, jogging college type wear, jersey knit with a fleecy back side. I go through several a year. On a mistake I bought 60 % polyester, 40 cotton, I didin't think much of it then, but as soon as I wore it and after it had been washed,  ><  It never wears out either.

That said, a lot of all weather jackets are polyester, like gortex and I don't mind. I have seen dress fabric polyester in qualities I likely will never end up wearing in any garment. Some polyesters are nicer to the touch than others, look nicer too.

I know some designers make an effort to match slik in every way, they have almost made it. I have had some summer shirts in viscose and modal / polynosic, they never give me the irritating feeling polyester can.

I'm the only one in my family who react like this to polyester, I'm the same if touch nylon stockings and foam mattrasses, the stuff used for furniture webbing, the nett like thing over the foam wadding.  :o I can get this feeling from some polyester dressfabric,...fabric softener....  It's almost like a fobia lol

I have noticed a particular type of socks in poyester are back, I tought I never should see them again, like memories from my ver early childhood. Some hightech sports under wear irks me too, and that is what they try to sell me in stores. 
« Last Edit: February 07, 2018, 13:49:02 PM by arrow »

Tamnymore

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2018, 15:06:14 PM »
Although I'm not generally a fan of polyester it definitely has its place and as a number of you have said it has moved on considerably since its early years. I too remember teenage years blighted by crimplene - sort of scuba's evil cousin!
'One should either be a work of art, or wear a work of art.' Oscar Wilde

UttaRetch

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2018, 16:00:51 PM »
Doh, I have fixed the link.

Vegegrow

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2018, 19:27:41 PM »
Utta your avatar has changed into a skirt... I liked you :(
"The only place where housework comes before needlework is in the dictionary." ~Mary Kurtz

BenJM

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #7 on: February 18, 2018, 11:15:53 AM »
Ugh I hate wearing synthetics, I am always warm and sweat like I’m a waterfall after a good rain.

There have been a few exceptions but they are few and far between, i’m Actually picking up sewing again simple because I can make what i’ll Want using fabrics I want. Although finding denim without Lycra these days

BrendaP

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2018, 12:48:33 PM »
I am always warm and sweat like I’m a waterfall after a good rain.

In that case you probably need a (polyester) wicking fabric next to your skin with a more absorbent layer on top.

Brenda.  My machines are: Corona, a 1953 Singer 201K-3, Caroline, a 1940 Singer 201K-3, Thirza, 1949 Singer 221K, Azilia, 1957 Singer 201K-MK2 and Vera, a Husqvarna 350 SewEasy about 20 years old. Also Bernina 1150 overlocker and Elna 444 Coverstitcher.
http://paternoster.orpheusweb.co.

arrow

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2018, 19:24:57 PM »

There have been a few exceptions but they are few and far between, i’m Actually picking up sewing again simple because I can make what i’ll Want using fabrics I want. Although finding denim without Lycra these days

A favorite T'shirt line went out of production a few years a go. I bought them in two or three in a package. They were simple cotton jersey, a firm knit and not the lightest. It was by one of the regular chains, but they were replaced by much the same stuff, but with lycra and thinner quality; wich means the t-shirts stretch to about to sizes after a bit wear lol  My jeans with lycra isn't quite as bad. I still have a plan for double pleated trousers, wide legs made in a nice mercerised cotton; just to get something nicer than current basic standard.

Those few exceptions when polyester actually turns out as something nice are interesting. UttaRetch's link will not open from my country for some reason and I haven't been able to take a look at it. BrendaP's suggestion about a wicking layer against the skin can work, but what I have seen is hight tech thermal underwear for winter sports, and the best goretext and dermizax jackets have a net lining that works well. Still, it never has replaced wool when I need it, and it's not nicer at all.

I have seen a few cases were polyester came very close to real silk. Once was a crepe ducine type fabric, heavy and draping well and felt nice to the touch. It was not cheap, neither price or appearence.


BenJM

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2018, 19:38:11 PM »
In that case you probably need a (polyester) wicking fabric next to your skin with a more absorbent layer on top.
I’m tried the wicking fabric, what usually happens is it wicks sweat away but I end up feeling warmer and I sweat more eventually the fabric is just being out performed haha and air currents don’t tend to get through the fabric either which is the harder challenge.

One of the reasons I love linen, lite weave, highly absorbent, breezy and comfortable.

arrow

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #11 on: February 18, 2018, 19:58:17 PM »
BenJM. Do you live an area with sort of summer all year or do you have frost in winter?

I live in Norway with t-shirt temparatures in summer (at best) and frost in winter. I have to approach the seasons differently. On my bike in winter it's either cotton t-shirts and a wolly sweater under a windbreaker. If it's very cold I need wool socks and wool underwear. I don't really sweat much in frost, generally it's hard enough just to keep warm. A regular walk is very different from being on a bike out walking up a hill in nature.

In summer I guess it's more about light fabrics, air getting through. Linen is nice, but the way I am, I need to keep the iron and board on hand  :P  I swear by good quality mercerised cotton, it's very nice. I have a few summer shirts in silk and viscose, but it's not often I get a chance to wear them.
« Last Edit: February 18, 2018, 20:15:01 PM by arrow »

BenJM

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #12 on: February 18, 2018, 20:11:16 PM »
BenJM. Do you live an area with sort of summer all year or do you have frost in winter?

Brisbane, Australia. I would love living somewhere colder but well that’s not going to happen hehe

Our summers are hot and humid are winters are mild, it’s tshirt weather year round and for me it’s very thin hoodies for winter. I can’t wear jumpers I overheat I rarely zip up a hoodie and never a jacket and I don’t own any coats.

It’s just my luck I am in a warm climate with a body built for the cold haha I stay warm easily but don’t cool down easily

sewingj

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #13 on: February 19, 2018, 08:30:09 AM »
I appreciate this is all down to personal taste, but I made a top which is 95% polyester and put it on for the first time today.  After an hour I have had to take it off as I can`t stand the way it feels on my arms!  It`ll be off to the charity shop I`m afraid and I`ll be avoiding polyester in the future

Ravingdoll

Re: The king of polyester fabric
« Reply #14 on: February 19, 2018, 13:33:24 PM »
Our police uniform tops are made of wicking.  Although I am mostly in a 'plain' clothes role (I use the word 'plain' here conscious that my superintendent begs to differ) when uniformed it is wicking shirts under stab jackets and they are great because they are very sweat absorbent.  Plus the benefit of being able to stick them through the washing machine and they're dry within an hour.  I also wear one when I colour my hair!!  When I first joined it was white shirts and the joys of having to wash 6 of them and stand there ironing with lots of starch is something I do not miss.  I know a lot of people preferred to see police in the white shirts, and I can see why, but the days of the bobby walking around in a tunic and white shirt and tie don't have much place in modern policing unfortunately.  When in full uniform these days I actually weigh an extra 18lbs!!