Are Polyester Clothes Bad for You?

🧼 Why Choosing the Right Fabric Matters

If you’re trying to live a healthier, more natural lifestyle, what you wear matters just as much as what you eat or breathe. Many people are now asking a simple but important question: Are polyester clothes bad for you?

The short answer is: yes, they can be. While polyester may be cheap and common, it often comes with a hidden cost—to your health, your comfort, and the environment. At Primal Thread, we believe your clothing should work with your body, not against it.

🧪 1. Polyester Is Made from Plastic

Polyester is a synthetic fiber derived from petroleum. That means every polyester shirt or hoodie is essentially a piece of plastic. Unlike natural fabrics like 100% organic cotton, polyester doesn’t breathe, doesn’t biodegrade, and can trap heat and sweat against your skin.

🧴 2. It Can Leach Chemicals onto Your Skin

Polyester is often treated with chemicals like:

• Antibacterial agents
• Flame retardants
• Dyes and finishing agents

When you sweat, your pores open up—allowing those chemicals to potentially leach into your skin. If you have sensitive skin, this can lead to rashes, irritation, or even hormone disruption over time.

🌬 3. Poor Breathability = More Sweat, More Odor

Polyester doesn’t breathe like cotton. It traps heat and moisture, making it a breeding ground for bacteria and odor. That “gym shirt smell” isn’t from your sweat—it’s polyester holding onto bacteria. Natural fabrics like organic cotton help regulate body temperature and reduce odor naturally.

🧵 4. Microplastic Pollution in Every Wash

Each time you wash polyester, it sheds hundreds of thousands of microplastic fibers into the water system. These tiny plastic threads are polluting oceans and entering the food chain. Choosing plastic-free clothing—like Primal Thread’s 100