Nylon and polyester are the most widely used synthetic fibers in our lives. The appearance of these two fibers has greatly improved people's production and life. Both are synthetic fibers. But there are some differences between the two. Before starting nylon vs polyester. Let's first understand these two fibers.
What is nylon？
Nylon is the general name for synthetic polymers of the linear polyamide family. Nylon is also known as polyamide. Nylon is a silk-like thermoplastic, generally made from petroleum, that can be melt-processed into fibers, films, or shapes.
The invention of nylon is credited to Wallace Carothers of DuPont. Nylon first appeared in the United States in 1935. But it wasn't until 1940 that it was mass-produced. Although it is believed that the United States invented nylon. However, polyamide fibers were also produced in Germany during the same period. The difference is that the product developed by the Germans has only six carbon atoms.
Nylon fibers are light and thin but very durable with very good abrasion resistance. Nylon is shiny and elastic, easy to wash and dry, and has good shape retention. All these properties make it more popular as a stockings material than the original silk used. Nylon became famous for stockings and became synonymous with stockings.
What is polyester？
Polyester is the most widely used man-made synthetic fiber material. It accounts for about 60% of the world's synthetic fiber production. Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
In 1941, British chemists John Rex Whinfield and James Tennat Dickson discovered and patented a process for processing polyester from polymers. The main component of polyester is ethylene, a product of petrochemicals. More than 50% of polyester is used for processing fibers. Polyester is also widely used in bottles and packaging materials.
Due to the low price, it is widely used. Polyester became the most commonly used man-made fiber in the early 1970s. In the early days of production, polyester fibers were seen as a substitute for cotton and wool because they could mimic many of their appearance properties. Later polyester was used to make cheap suits. Innovative developments in fibers and fabrics in recent years and the use of polyester fabrics by many creative designers have raised their profile. Evaluation of its merits is now unbiased.
Nylon VS Polyester
Both nylon and polyester are synthetic fibers derived from petroleum. But there is still a big difference in performance.
Durability: Chemical fibers have the ability to resist damage, but nylon ranks first among all kinds of fibers. Nylon products are more durable. The disadvantage is that nylon is more prone to fluff.
Glossiness: The surface of nylon fiber is smooth and supple, with a certain glossiness. Polyester fiber is slightly worse than nylon. However, with the development of the textile industry, bright fibers have also appeared in polyester fibers to improve the glossiness of polyester fabrics.
Hygroscopicity: The hygroscopicity of nylon is second only to vinylon among synthetic fibers, and it has good dyeing performance. Polyester has very poor hygroscopicity.
Wrinkle Resistance: Polyester is very wrinkle resistant and very easy to care for. Even men doing household chores are thought to be drawn to polyester's ease of care. Nylon is much less wrinkle resistant than polyester.
Handle: Nylon fibers are thinner and more elastic. So nylon is softer and has a better handle than polyester.
Light Fastness: Nylon has poor light fastness, and it tends to turn yellow and become brittle when exposed to light for a long time. Polyester does not affect the strength of the fiber under prolonged sunlight.
Water Resistance: Both nylon and polyester are water resistant. Easy to dry after washing. But polyester is better than nylon.
Ecological Sustainability: The degradation time of nylon is about 20 years. The degradation time of polyester takes more than 700 years. But polyester can be recycled and reused. Using 17 PET bottles can produce enough recycled fiber for a sweatshirt.
How to choose？
Nylon is softer, more durable and has a better gloss. Suitable for women's clothing, sportswear, raincoats, swimwear, women's plastic underwear, stockings and other fields. With coating or lamination, it can be used in outdoor clothing, work clothes and military uniforms. Ripstop fabric based on nylon fiber is often used in firefighting clothing, and it can be used in the military with camouflage printing.
Polyester is suitable for making shirts, outerwear, bags and outdoor products, etc. Polyester is also an effective fabric for making sportswear and functional clothing. Polyester fibers can be attached with various functions. Polyester is strong and does not absorb moisture easily, making it an ideal fabric for chemical treatments and finishes, such as water-repellent and flame-retardant finishes. The fiber has poor hygroscopicity and is not easy to stain. The fabric can be pre-shrunk, and it is not easy to deform after stretching. Textile researchers in the US are developing polyester superfibers as strong as Kevlar for use in bulletproof vests.
With the development of textile technology. The shortcomings of nylon and polyester have been improved due to technological progress. If you still don't know how to choose, you can choose blended fibers. In this way, the advantages of both fibers can be obtained at the same time. If it is combined with other fibers, it can have more possibilities.
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