Polyester Is a Synthetic, Non-Renewable Fiber, with Some Surprising Redeemable Qualities

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Polyester is a Synthetic, Non-Renewable Fiber, With Some Surprising Redeemable Qualities n Polyester is derived from petroleum POLYESTER n In just the last decade, polyester has surpassed cotton as the most commonly produced fiber Publicized environmental concerns: n Energy requirements for fiber production are high. Energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions in polyester production are high (125 MJ/kg fiber versus 100 MJ/kg of viscose fiber) Most commonly, the chemicals used in production are not released to the environment n However factories without end-of-pipe wastewater treatment systems, release antimony along with a host of other potentially dangerous substances like cobalt, manganese salts, sodium bromide, and titanium dioxide. Polyester production is not entirely worse for the environment compared to natural fibers n Water consumption in producing polyester is much lower than for natural fibers, sometimes little to none. Recycled Polyester is a Better Environmental Choice and Gaining In Popularity Recycled polyester is made from recycled plastic bottles, sometimes referred to rPET. It also: n Saves petroleum and dependency on oil n Requires 70 percent less energy than virgin fiber n Keeps bottles out of landfills n However it costs about 15 to 20 percent more than virgin fiber n The output of rPET is also of lesser grade quality than virgin polyester To find out more about fiber choices and how they Price, capacity and purity levels are currently limiting rPET relate to the four heaviest n Manufacturers are confident that these issues will be resolved soon environmental impacts in the fashion industry, please see the Clean By Design PLA (polylactic acid), is a synthetic substitute produced from renewable resources like corn and website: www.nrdc.org/ sugar beets, and is biodegradable. This option is promising environmentally, but fairly new and cleanbydesign not widely accessible at this time. We recommend using recycled polyester whenever possible, and to keep informed about PLA production as a more viable substitute for the future. For detailed information on polyester, please see our in-depth report and © Natural Resources Defense Council citations to research sources. August 2011.

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