Is Polyester Vegan? Material Facts & Alternatives

Vegan status: Vegan

Also known as: PET, Polyethylene terephthalate, Dacron, Terylene

Origin

Synthetic — produced from petroleum-derived ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid through a polymerisation process.

Environmental impact

Rating: high. Petroleum-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.

Durability

Excellent. Resistant to stretching, shrinking, and wrinkles. Very durable and long-lasting.

Common uses

Clothing, activewear, outdoor gear, home textiles, industrial fabrics.

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.