Consumer guide

Polyester and synthetics

Polyester is the most used textile. It is derived from petroleum and is therefore a non-renewable resource. But this does not automatically mean that it is the devil's textile.

 Almost half of the world’s yearly production of synthetic fibres is polyester, an amount that totals around 11 million tons. The main catalyst used in polyester production is antimony, a known carcinogen and toxin that affects the heart, lungs, liver and skin. By-products of antimony cause chronic bronchitis and emphysema. They also pollute waterways.

1 % of all petroleum production is converted in to over 50 % of all textiles

If one adds up all synthetic fibres, the math is as follows: 46 % is polyester, 3 % is nylon and 5 % is acrylic of the world's total consumation of textiles. All in all 4 % of the total oil production is diverted in to plastics, and from this 25 % becomes textiles. This means that 1 % of all petroleum production is converted in to over 50 % of all textiles.

Synthetics have many properties that give them a better eco-footprint in the production phase and user-phase, since they as a raw material based on a non-renewable resource do not win first place - these issues are adressed on the following pages in the life-cycle of synthetics. But in competition with natural raw-materials, land-use and water-use are two issues where petroleum can boast a better profile by far. But looking at the raw material itself - petroleum - the ecological and social costs of oil exploration and extraction, and the transport of the oil - is what adds up.