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Why is polyethylene terephthalate important in synthetic-fibre production?

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Figure 1: Three common polymer structures. The linear, branched, and network architectures are represented (from top), respectively, by high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and phenol formaldehyde (PF). The chemical structure and molecular structure of highlighted regions are also shown.
man-made fibre Figure 1: Three common polymer structures. The linear, branched, and network architectures are represented (from top), respectively, by high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and phenol formaldehyde (PF). The chemical structure and molecular structure of highlighted regions are also shown.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most important synthetic fibre in the world by both production weight and value. Its significance in the textile industry stems from its unique chemical structure and resulting physical properties:12

  • Strength and Stiffness: The presence of large aromatic rings in the polymer's repeating units provides notable strength and stiffness, particularly when the chains are aligned through stretching.12
  • Wrinkle Resistance: Because the fibres are highly resistant to deformation, they impart excellent wrinkle resistance to fabrics. This makes PET ideal for durable-press blends with natural or other synthetic fibres like cotton, wool, and rayon, where it reinforces the base material while improving recovery from wrinkling.12
  • Versatility: Beyond standard apparel, PET is used for fibre filling in insulated clothing and furniture, artificial silk, and heavy-duty applications such as carpets, seat belts, and industrial tire yarns.12