Economy

Polyester is a man-made fabric and it has some excellent properties. Some of these include resistance to wrinkling, strength, and resistance to stretching and shrinkage. It also is very easy to wash and it dries quickly. These qualities make polyester a desirable material to make clothes with.

~Edmond

The Environment

Polyester is a synthetic material made from petrochemicals and is also non-biodegradable. It is made from coal, air, water, and petroleum products. The issues to the environment are that the production of polyester involves a chemical synthesis process, which releases volatile organic compounds (VOC). This is potentially harmful to the health and the ozone layer. Also the chemical used in making polyester can remain in the clothing and come in contact with the skin of a person. To create polyester it releases a quarter of its weight in air pollution, including nitrogen and sulphur oxides, hydrocarbons, particulates, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals. These pollutants can hinder breathing, increase lung and heart diseases, and stop the immune system from working properly. The production of polyester also releases ten times the polyester's mass in carbon dioxide, which affects the climate. Many people now encourage recycling polyester to reduce the amount of air pollution involved in making new polyester.

~Malcolm

Producers' Health

Benzene used in the production of polyester causes an increased chance of acquiring leukemia, along with a rapid heart rate and stomach irritation. Long term exposure for producers results in a damaged immune system and bone marrow. In women, their ovaries decrease in size, also affecting menstrual periods and the fetus in times of pregnancy. Benzene is classified as a carcinogen.

Polyvinyl Chlorine is another harmful chemical involved in producing polyester. It causes a rare liver cancer to be formed in producers who inhale it frequently. Also, the reaction to produce the chemical itself also produces a deadly by-product, dioxin, which accumulates in the body and could cause cancer, diabetes, and in women endometriosis (the uterus tissue being found outside of the uterus).

~Edmond