Although it is a common assumption that textiles made from natural materials such as cotton and silk are more environmentally friendly than textiles made from man-made materials, the case for polyester fibre proves this to be incorrect.

Polyester is made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource that creates damaging environmental impacts during the extraction process. However, when considering the whole lifecycle of the fibre, from the raw materials, through the use phase to the end of the lifecycle, polyester is not as environmentally damaging as believed. It has lower energy impacts during the washing and cleaning phase and is also completely recyclable at the end of its life.