Buildings
Structure, lining, insulation or finish depending on family.
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Strength58
Heat resistance42
Fire performance24
Insulation50
Workability88
Circularity34
LessMore
Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
Is Polyester non-combustible?
Declared reaction class in this atlas: melts and drips unless FR. Assemblies still need resistance tests.
Does Polyester insulate?
Thermal mark 50/100 versus the atlas. Conductivity note: low solid; fabrics trap air.
What is the density band?
~1.38 g/cm³
How is it made?
Origin story: Whinfield & Dickson 1941 / DuPont Dacron (United Kingdom / US).
Can it be recycled?
Circularity mark 34/100 — editorial, route-specific.
Typical melting or failure heat?
~250–260 °C
heat 42 · fire 24
Polyester earns its keep in systems: a beam, a batt, a fibre blend, a coated steel — rarely a lone coupon.
Products below are cultural landmarks as much as SKUs.
Sectors
Transport
Mass, fire and fatigue rewrite the grade list.
Energy
Heat, voltage and hydrogen compatibility.
Consumer
The volume that pays for the mill.
Medical / food
When allowed — extractables and allergies matter.
Defence / safety
Ballistics, FR clothing, fire stops.
Products
Terylene
1941–
Dacron sailcloth
1950s–
Polar fleece
1980s–
PET bottle
1973–
Suiting blend
1960s–
Seat belt HT
1960s–
Geotextile
1970s–
rPET jersey
2000s–
Pairings
nylon
The polyamide rival: tougher wet, different dye class.
cotton
The blend that made drip-dry shirts.
polyethylene
Olefin cousin, different melting and hand.
aramid
When polyester’s melt-drip is unacceptable.
If the pairing is wrong, the material will be blamed for a system fault.
Keep exploring
More in Textiles
🌱
Cotton
Seed-hair cellulose that dressed the industrial revolution — still the comfort fibre of daily wear.
Overall 44 🐑Wool
Crimped keratin that traps still air — suiting, carpets and a quietly decent fire story among apparel fibres.
Overall 53 🦋Silk
A kilometre-class animal filament — luxury cloth, sutures and a template for bio-inspired fibres.
Overall 41 🪢Nylon
Carothers’ polyamide — stockings, tyre cord, climbing rope and a melt-drip fire personality.
Overall 48 🦺Aramid
Aromatic polyamide pulps and filaments — ballistic packs, hot-gas filtration and asbestos replacement.
Overall 62