Polyester

OVERVIEW
Polyester is a synthetic polymer, often referred to as PET, which stands for polyethylene terephthalate. The American company, DuPont, started researching synthetic fibres in 1926 which led British scientists to further that research and discover this important polymer. PET, polyethylene terephthalate, was patented by British scientists, Whinfield and Dickson at the International General Electric Company in 1941. In 1946 DuPont purchased all the legal rights to the patent. Polyester has improved a lot since the mid 1900’s and today it is considered among commodity plastics.

What is Polyester?

Polyester is a synthetic fibre that is derived from petroleum. It is a very versatile material and is commonly used in the production of textiles, packaging, and various consumer goods. Polyester fabrics are often used in clothing, such as shirts, pants, and dresses, as well as in bedding, curtains, and upholstery.
Polyester is known for its durability, resistance to wrinkles and shrinkage, and ease of care. It is also relatively inexpensive to produce, making it a popular choice for mass-produced items.
The production of polyester involves melting and extruding polymer pellets into a long, continuous fibre. The fibres can be woven or knit into a variety of fabrics, and can also be blended with other fibres to create fabrics with specific properties. For example, polyester is often blended with cotton to create a fabric that is both breathable and wrinkle-resistant.
While polyester is a versatile and affordable material, it does have some environmental drawbacks. It is derived from non-renewable resources and is not biodegradable, meaning that it can persist in the environment for a long time. However, efforts are being made to develop more sustainable forms of polyester, such as recycled polyester made from post-consumer plastic bottles.

Today, polyester is used for many applications due to its unique advantages:

• Polyester fibre dyes easily
• It retains its shape and does not distort easily
• Polyester is lightweight and durable
• It is wrinkle resistant 
• It is perfect for outdoor clothing and furniture because it dries well 
• Polyester is easy to clean and maintain
• Economical

Polyester fibres are spun to make yarn and thread which is then used to create fabrics with a broad spectrum of uses. It is often blended with other materials such as cotton, nylon or elastane to create apparel, home furnishings, bedding and things like conveyor belts and rope.

Recycled Polyester 

All of our woven polyester labels* are made using 100% recycled polyester Newlife™ yarn.

Newlife™ yarn is produced using post consumer PET bottles. The bottles are collected using dedicated recycling receptacles for PET bottles. Once collected, the bottles go through a mechanical process to produce Newlife™ yarn. 
(*Melange, sparkling and imitation cotton yarn is not recycled)

OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 Certified

The materials used to make our woven polyester labels are OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified*. The OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is an independent testing and certification system for textile raw materials. That means the materials used by Wunderlabel to make our woven labels have been proven to be free of any substances which might be harmful to people's health. We are certified for Product Class 1: this product class includes products for babies and has the strictest requirements and limit values.   
(*Labels with sparkling colours are not OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified.)

What types of polyester labels are offered at Wunderlabel?

Wunderlabel offers many options when it comes to polyester labels. Both woven labels and our printed imitation cotton labels are made with 100% polyester and are offered in many different sizes with a multitude of design possibilities. Create your own design using our online configurator, upload your own logo, or even create a laundry label to your specific specifications. 

We also offer printed satin polyester labels, ribbon and wristbands - read more about them here.