Polyester Fabric

Polyester is a synthetic marvel that offers incredible benefits for dressmakers and crafters. It is highly affordable, incredibly strong, and holds bright dye colours brilliantly without fading over time. Its biggest advantage is that it is highly crease-resistant and retains its shape beautifully, making it the perfect low-maintenance fabric for everyday clothing and travel wardrobes.

Unlike natural fibres such as cotton or linen, 100 percent polyester is a synthetic fibre that is highly resistant to shrinking. You can usually machine wash your polyester garments with confidence. However, it is always best practice to wash your fabric at a low temperature before cutting your pattern, just to remove any chemical finishes from the manufacturing process.

Yes, standard woven polyester is fantastic for beginners because it is durable and does not warp or stretch out of shape as you sew. Because it is a synthetic fibre, the cut edges can sometimes fray, so it is recommended to finish your raw seams using pinking shears, a zig-zag stitch, or an overlocker to keep the inside of your garment looking neat and professional.

Standard fabric dyes designed for cotton or natural fibres will simply wash right off polyester. Because it is a plastic-based synthetic fibre, you must use a specialized synthetic dye. Dyeing polyester usually requires the stovetop method, as the fabric needs to be submerged in near-boiling water to force the synthetic fibres to open up and accept the new colour.