Polyester and Polypropylene

The term synthetic fibers generically refers to all chemical, artificial, or tech fibers, industrially produced from various types of artificial substances and chemical compounds. Unlike natural textile fibers of plant origin, synthetic fibers are purposely created by humans through the spinning of synthetic polymers and various polymerization techniques.  Among these, the most well-known are polyester fabric and polypropylene fabric. 

Characteristics of Polyester Fabric and Polypropylene Fabric

Polyester fabric is the most widely used synthetic textile material in the world, surpassing even cotton. In fact, it represents 60% of the synthetic fibers on the market. It was invented in 1941, making it a relatively new fabric, yet it is increasingly popular in the fields of clothing and home furnishing.  Its key properties include resistance to wear, waterproofing, high resistance to abrasion, wrinkles, and heat, good resistance to chemical and physical agents, and, last but not least, ease of cleaning. Polypropylene fabric, on the other hand, originated from the research of an Italian engineer who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1963. It is an extremely versatile material with multiple properties. Firstly, it is naturally water-repellent, stain-resistant, immune to mold and bacteria, making it hypoallergenic and antibacterial. Polypropylene is undeformable and durable, with minimal electrostatic charge and low thermal conductivity, equal to that of wool but with the advantage of drying much faster. The pleasant sensation of well-being, warmth, and dryness allows it to be called a “warm fiber.” The only noteworthy disadvantage is its moderately higher cost compared to polyester fabrics, justified by the greater processing difficulties.