Polyester fabric is a human-made fabric invented in the early 1940’s by British scientists playing with esters and polymers. At the time of its invention, it was considered to be groundbreaking and futuristic. Designers began using the fabric for high fashion clothing almost immediately.
The main component of polyester fabric is a kind of plastic that is easy to wash, dry, and dye. It is resistant to shrinking, wrinkling, and warping. The fibers are strong, which helps garments and upholstery last longer without visible signs of distress. Despite its strength, polyester isn’t structurally rigid.. Prior to its invention, almost all fabric was harder to maintain and required frequent ironing.
The bonds of the fabric are flexible, making it lightweight and comfortable to wear. Polyester retains its shape easily due to its natural flexibility. It won’t crease or crinkle, making it an easy favorite for fast fashion and t-shirts. Nobody wants to iron their everyday clothes or workout gear, and that’s why the appeal and comfort of polyester quickly caught on.
Any fabric composed mainly of polyester yarn or fiber is considered to be polyester fabric. There are numerous blends of materials that can be blended with polyester fabric to change its texture, including cotton.
What is Dacron Fabric?
Dacron fabric is a specific kind of proprietary polyester fabric created by the DuPont company. They own the rights to Dacron production, as it is a trademarked invention. The “D” in “Dacron” is capitalized because “Dacron” is a brand name rather than a general noun, like polyester. DuPont’s unique spin on polyester is wildly popular because of the way the company improved upon the original fiber.
Despite its many strengths, generic polyester can’t do a few things. It isn’t hypoallergenic, and it can’t resist mold, mildew, or water. DuPont’s answer to polyester solved those problems. Dacron is a hypoallergenic polyester that isn’t absorbent, making it resistant to mildew, mold, and stains since it cannot retain water or other liquids.
That’s why Dacron is the preferred choice for household textiles. It’s really difficult to wash couches, throw pillows, mattresses, upholstered headboards, and upholstered chairs. Since other polyester fabrics come with vulnerabilities that require them to be regularly laundered or thoroughly spot cleaned to prevent long term damage, they’re far more high maintenance.
Dacron looks beautiful, and it’s practically indestructible. You may pay a premium for Dacron, but it’s worth spending a little more. You won’t spend half of your life cleaning and scrubbing all the textiles in your home, and they’ll all last a lot longer without needing replacement or reupholstery.