Is Polyester Vegan? Material Facts & Alternatives
Also known as: PET, Polyethylene terephthalate, Dacron, Terylene
Vegan
No animal products or byproducts are involved in the production of this material.
Origin
Synthetic — produced from petroleum-derived ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid through a polymerisation process.
Common Uses
Clothing, activewear, outdoor gear, home textiles, industrial fabrics.
Durability
Excellent. Resistant to stretching, shrinking, and wrinkles. Very durable and long-lasting.
Environmental Impact
High Environmental ImpactPetroleum-derived and not biodegradable. Sheds microplastic fibres in the wash — estimated 700,000 fibres per 6kg load. Production involves significant carbon emissions. Long product lifespan partially offsets environmental cost.
Editorial Notes
Polyester is the world's most widely used textile fibre, accounting for over 50% of global fibre production. Vegan but environmentally problematic due to fossil fuel origin and microplastic pollution. The vegan recommendation is to choose recycled polyester (rPET) where possible, and to use a microplastic filter when washing synthetics.