Is Polyester Stretchy? Everything You Need to Know

When Selling garment products, product quality greatly affects e-commerce sales. One of the most popular fabric options is polyester, valued for its durability and customizability. But the million-dollar question is: is polyester stretchy? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll examine polyester’s elastic properties, discuss what impacts its stretch capacity, and help you determine if it’s the best stretchy fabric option for your print-on-demand products and satisfied repeat customers. Let’s tackle the stretch factor of this versatile synthetic once and for all.

What Is Polyester Fabric?

Polyester is a category of polymers that contains the ester functional group in every repeat unit. While many different polyesters exist, the term “polyester" fabric typically refers to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber. PET is the same material used to make plastic bottles and other common consumer products.

Polyester fabric was first developed in 1941. It rose to popularity in the 1970s as an affordable, durable, and versatile synthetic fabric. Today, polyester is widely used in the textile industry to make clothing like activewear, outerwear, and everyday basics. It’s also used for home furnishings such as curtains, carpeting, and upholstery.

Compared to natural fibers like cotton and linen, polyester offers easy care and longevity. It resists shrinking, stretching, wrinkling, and fading extremely well. These characteristics make polyester a practical choice for travel clothes and everyday wear. Polyester also lends well to blending with other fibers like wool and cotton. This allows the polyester to impart some of its beneficial properties.

While polyester has many positives, there are some drawbacks. It does not allow heat or air to pass through it well, making 100% polyester garments hot for summertime. Additionally, polyester will melt at high temperatures. It also builds up static electricity easily and suffers from pilling.

Key Characteristics of Polyester:

• Durability: Polyester is known for being strong and long-lasting.
• Resilience: It resists shrinking, stretching out of shape, and wrinkling.
• Moisture-Wicking: Modern polyester fabrics are often designed to wick moisture away from the skin, making them ideal for athletic and outdoor wear.
• Lightweight: Despite its strength, polyester is remarkably lightweight, making it ideal for travel and layering.

Is Polyester Stretchy?

Polyester itself is not an inherently stretchy fabric. The polyester fibers do not contain any elastic properties and 100% polyester fabrics are designed to retain their shape, even when exposed to rougher wear and tear. However, polyester can be combined with other more elastic fibers to create stretchy fabric blends.

The reason some polyester-containing garments like leggings, yoga pants, and sports bras appear stretchy is that polyester is often blended with elastane/spandex or other stretchy synthetic fibers. This blend allows the durability and resilience of polyester to be combined with the flexibility and movement of stretchier fibers. The result is a fabric that can stretch and recover while still being hardwearing.

While 100% polyester on its own lacks stretch, there are a couple of ways to make the fabric a bit more flexible. When wet, polyester loosens up slightly and allows for a little bit of give. However, this effect is minimal and temporary. Polyester can also be mechanically stretched through special knitting or weaving techniques that allow the finished fabric to stretch and recover to a certain degree. However, true elasticity requires the addition of appropriate stretch fibers into the polyester.

How is Polyester Produced?

Polyester manufacturers use two main methods: virgin production and recycled plastics. Modern technology allows both methods to produce durable, wrinkle-resistant, and versatile materials that are suitable for a wide range of products, including T-shirts, pillows, couch cushions, and even pet bandanas.

Let’s take a look at how each method works!

Polyester Production from Raw Materials

To make polyester from scratch, the main ingredient is ethylene glycol, a substance derived from petroleum. The production process begins with a reaction between ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) or terephthalic acid (TPA) to create a monomer. The monomer then undergoes condensation to form a polymer.

The polymer is then melted and extruded into long fibers, which are then shredded into PET pellets. These pellets can be used for a variety of purposes, including making plastic water bottles. To create polyester fiber, the PET pellets are melted and extruded through a device similar to a large sieve to form large fibers. Once the fibers cool, they are twisted together to form the finished polyester fiber.

Polyester Production from Recycled Plastic

The process of making polyester from recycled plastic has a dual benefit: reducing plastic waste in landfills and providing a sustainable alternative to traditional manufacturing methods.

This process begins with a collection of used plastic products, such as bottles. These products are sorted into clear and dyed plastic and then washed to remove caps, labels, and contaminants. After cleaning, the plastic is shredded and dried to ensure no impurities.

Next, these plastic flakes are melted and extruded into long fibers, similar to the production process from virgin materials. Finally, polyester fibers are formed and used to make durable, versatile products such as clothing and homeware.

Recycling helps the environment and produces high-quality products with sustainable value.

What are the different types of polyester blends?

Polyester is blended with other fibers to create fabrics with specific properties. Here are some common polyester blends:

• Polyester-Cotton: This blend combines cotton’s breathability and softness with polyester’s durability and wrinkle resistance. The result is a comfortable, easy-care fabric ideal for casual shirts and bed sheets. However, it is not very stretchy as cotton lacks elasticity.
• Polyester-Spandex: Spandex provides incredible stretch and movement. Blended with moisture-wicking polyester, it makes flexible activewear like yoga pants. Even a small spandex percentage significantly enhances stretch.
• Polyester-Rayon: This elegant blend combines polyester’s shape retention with rayon’s drape and soft sheen. It is popular for dresses and blouses.
• Polyester-Wool: Wool brings warmth; polyester brings wrinkle resistance. Blended, they make durable yet comfortable coats and suits.
• Polyester-Linen: Linen offers breathability and texture while polyester reduces wrinkles. Together they create cool, carefree summer clothes.

Want to know more about fabric blends? Click here to explore the “Cotton Polyester Blend Explained: Pros, Cons, Applications" article!

Stretchy Polyester in Fashion: Where You’ll Find It

Polyester has become a popular fabric in the fashion industry due to its ability to stretch when blended with elastane or spandex. Here are some of the main uses of stretchy polyester fabric in different types of clothing:

Activewear

Stretchy polyester blends are widely used in activewear like leggings, sports bras, and compression gear. The combination of polyester and spandex creates a lightweight, stretchy, and quick-drying fabric that provides a full range of motion for sports and fitness activities. This makes it ideal for running, yoga, and other athletic pursuits.

Casual Wear

Stretchy polyester blends have also made their way into daily casual wear like t-shirts, sweatpants, and loungewear. The fabric stretches for ease of movement while maintaining its shape over time. This has led to the use of polyester knits and blends in popular athleisure clothing.

Formal Wear

Some fashion brands have started incorporating stretchy polyester blends into formal wear as well. Stretchy blouses, skirts, and dress pants made with polyester-elastane fabric blends provide both comfort and a polished, professional look. The stretchability allows for flexibility while the polyester maintains the garment’s structure.

Swimwear and Shapewear

Two other prime uses for stretchy polyester are swimwear and shapewear. For swimwear, water-resistant polyester combined with spandex creates a fabric that fits snugly, stretches with movement, and dries quickly. In shapewear, stretchy polyester-elastane blends provide compression and support while remaining comfortable enough for all-day wear.

Do 95% polyester and 5% spandex have a lot of stretch?

Whether a 95% polyester and 5% spandex fabric has a lot of stretch depends on multiple factors, not just the fiber content. The construction of the fabric plays a key role.

In a woven 95/5 polyester-spandex fabric, there will be some stretch coming from the spandex fibers. However, the stretch capacity is limited by the woven structure. There will be a small amount of give in the length and width directions, with a bit more stretch on the diagonal or bias.

In a knitted 95/5 polyester-spandex fabric, the stretch capacity increases significantly. The knit construction allows the fabric to stretch and recover more than a woven type. Within knits, the specific knit pattern impacts overall stretchability as well. For example, a tricot knit with 5% spandex content will stretch more than other knit types.

The orientation of the fabric also affects stretch potential. Cutting the fabric on the bias or diagonal amplifies stretch in woven fabrics. For knits, stretching is more uniform in all directions.

So in summary, while the 5% spandex fiber provides elasticity across fabric types, factors like fabric construction (woven versus knitted), knit type, and grain line all impact the overall stretch capacity. Calling it “a lot" of stretch requires clarifying details beyond just fiber percentages. But it is reasonable to expect noticeably more stretch than an all-polyester fabric based on the performance properties of spandex.

Caring for Stretchy Polyester Clothing and Fabrics

Stretchy polyester blends containing spandex or elastane require some special care considerations compared to regular polyester.

Follow these tips to help your stretchy polyester clothes retain their shape and elasticity over time:

1. Wash in Cold Water: Hot water can cause the stretchy fibers to break down faster. Use the coolest wash setting possible, especially for the first few washes after buying new polyester clothing.
2. Line Dry or Dry on Low: The heat and tumbling action inside clothes dryers degrades elasticity in fabrics. It’s best to line dry stretchy polyester garments. If you must machine dry, use the lowest temperature setting.
3. Invest in a Mesh Wash Bag: Washing stretchy items in a mesh bag will help protect the delicate fibers during the wash cycle and when drying. The bag reduces friction and snagging.
4. Avoid Chlorine Bleach: Bleach is too harsh for stretch fabrics and can damage their shape and cause them to pill or fuzz over time. Avoid bleach and opt for an oxygen-based whitener if needed.
5. Don’t Over-Stretch: Resist the urge to pull or over-stretch your polyester clothing past a comfortable point. The fibers can only handle so much tension before they may snap. Treat the fabrics gently by wearing them loose rather than skintight.

Following these simple stretch polyester care tips will help the fabrics in your athleticwear, dresses, blouses, and undergarments maintain their flattering shape and flexibility for multiple seasons of wear. Handle with care and your clothes will retain their stretch.

Printing on Polyester vs. Organic Fibers

Direct-to-garment (DTG) Printing

DTG is a popular method used for complex designs, using water-based inks to create vibrant images. However, the water-resistant properties of 100% polyester make it difficult for the ink to adhere without pretreatment. You need to use a special solution to fill the small pores on the fabric surface to help the ink adhere. In particular, light-colored polyester is the best choice for DTG because it makes the designs stand out.

In contrast, cotton has a natural water absorption ability that is suitable for water-based inks. Alternatively, 100% cotton or a soft, thick poly-cotton blend is the top choice, ensuring longer-lasting colors through washes.

Sublimation Printing

This printing method is particularly effective on polyester fabrics. Its process turns the ink into a gaseous form, which is incorporated directly into the structure of the polyester fibers, creating vibrant and long-lasting designs. This ensures that the print will not fade, crack, or peel over time. However, because it requires the specific bonding of synthetic materials, sublimation printing is not suitable for natural fibers such as cotton.

Transform Your Ideas into Polyester Apparel with Merchize

The stretchiness and versatility of polyester make it an ideal fabric for fashion and apparel products sold online. Merchize is a leading Print On Demand and Fulfillment service that lets you create, customize, and sell a wide variety of polyester-based clothes.

Ready to start your print-on-demand business?

Dive into Merchize’s extensive range of customizable products and launch your store today!

Some bestselling Merchize polyester apparel ideas include:

• Women’s Clothing: Leggings, stretchy dresses, moisture-wicking sports bras and tanks, lightweight button-downs and polos.
• Men’s Clothing: Performance shirts and shorts for working out, casual crewneck sweatshirts, quick-drying swim trunks, and board shorts.
• Kids’ Clothing: Colorful graphics on jersey t-shirts, cozy polyester pajamas, reversible hoodies, and stretchy athletic shorts.

The customization options are endless. Bring your designs to life with no minimum orders. Use polyester’s natural stretch and Merchize’s on-demand capabilities to offer custom, comfortable clothing suited to any lifestyle and activity.

If you have an apparel business idea, stretchy polyester combined with Merchize’s production network is an efficient way to test the market before investing in large inventories. Sign up and begin designing your own stretchy, customizable fashion line today.