I think once you learn about how polyester fabric is made, it completely changes how you feel about putting it on your body. That knowledge paired with the increasing body of research highlighting the potential negative health effects has been enough for me to move 99% of my wardrobe over to natural fibers. Maybe it's completely mental, but polyester clothes just don't feel "right" any more and I crave the feeling of natural fibers against my skin. I'll throw on a soccer jersey here and there, and I'm not living in irrational fear that doing so for a few hours will ruin my health, but given the choice I'm always going to choose natural. That's why I'm creating these garments...to give you the choice of natural fibers on the bike.
Here's a summary of the information about polyester clothing that changed my perspective:
How Polyester is Made
At its core, polyester is a plastic, made through an industrial process that heavily relies on fossil fuels, toxic chemicals, and energy-intensive manufacturing.
It starts with petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Crude oil is extracted from the earth and refined to produce compounds like ethylene and dimethyl terephthalate. These are combined to create polyethylene terephthalate (PET) — the same plastic used in water bottles. The process involves chemical reactions at high temperatures, using metal-based catalysts like antimony trioxide, a substance considered a potential carcinogen and environmental hazard.
Once the raw polyester polymer is created, it's melted down and spun into fibers — a step that consumes large amounts of energy and water. Throughout this process, various finishing agents, dyes, and anti-static or wrinkle-resistant treatments are added — many of which contain chemicals that can linger in the fabric and eventually end up on your skin or in the environment.
Health Concerns Linked to Wearing Polyester
Beyond the environmental cost, wearing polyester clothing may come with health risks. Because polyester is a plastic-based fabric, it constantly sheds microplastics — especially during movement, friction, or washing. These microscopic plastic fibers can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or even transferred by hand-to-mouth contact, especially during workouts when your pores are open and sweat increases exposure.
In addition to microplastics, polyester garments often contain residual chemicals from manufacturing, including phthalates, BPA, formaldehyde, and antimony compounds. These chemicals have been linked to hormone disruption, reproductive issues, skin irritation, and even potential cancer risks. Though more long-term research is needed, early findings raise serious concerns about daily or prolonged contact with synthetic fabrics — especially in high-heat, high-sweat conditions like exercise.
Polyester Is Hard to Recycle — And Rarely Is
Despite industry claims about “recycled polyester,” the truth is that polyester is extremely difficult to recycle effectively. Most recycled polyester (often labeled rPET) comes not from old clothes, but from plastic bottles — and even then, it can only be recycled a limited number of times before the fibers degrade. Recycling actual polyester garments is far more complex, due to chemical coatings, dyes, and blended materials that make separation nearly impossible.
Blends of polyster and cotton blends are not better either just becuase of the presence of natural materials. These mixed fabrics are incredibly hard to recycle because the natural and synthetic fibers must be separated — a process that’s technically challenging, expensive, and rarely done at scale. As a result, these garments almost always end up in landfills or incinerators, despite appearing more “sustainable” to consumers.
Globally, less than 1% of textile waste is recycled into new clothing. The vast majority of polyester garments — whether pure or blended — are either landfilled or incinerated. Because polyester is not biodegradable, it can persist in the environment for decades to centuries, continuing to release microplastics as it breaks down.