Is Polyester Vegan?
Yes, polyester is entirely vegan-friendly, as it does not contain any animal by-products and no animal derivatives in its production. However, this does not mean it can’t harm animals indirectly.
What Is Polyester?
Polyester is made with fibers made out of the synthetic, petroleum-based polymer PET. This fiber is a type of plastic. Unfortunately, it has the same effects on our planet as do other plastics — it is not biodegradable and typically ends up contaminating various ecosystems, from forests to oceans. Unless made from recycled plastic bottles, this material is not considered eco-friendly.
So, How Can Polyester Affect Animals?
As with any plastic material, it’s usually not the plastic itself that causes the problem, but what we do with it during and after its time with us. When it comes to fashion, the biggest concern is microplastics. When washed or disposed of, polyester tends to break down into bits. Tiny plastic particles can now be found all over the globe — even locked in Arctic ice! And what’s more concerning, it’s been found in the carcasses of all types of land and sea animals.
Small animals consume microplastics, confusing them with their typical food. When bigger animals eat these smaller creatures, they too are consuming microplastics. These environmental contaminants wreak havoc on many species, deforming their organs, damaging cells, and even poisoning them.
What’s worse is that not all plastics are composed entirely of plastic alone. A lot of synthetic products combine themselves with other chemicals and additives that may cause even further harm. These additives can include chemicals like fire retardants, resins, and more.
You can even find plastic particles in pieces small enough to enter cells and damage proteins. Hence, as plastic continues to break down in the environment, we can expect it to become a more significant problem.
So, although plastic is convenient, inexpensive, resistant, and incredibly difficult to avoid in our modern world, we should not allow it to remain the standard for long if we want to prevent future environmental catastrophes and animal suffering.
For this reason, vegans may want to avoid products made out of or packaged in any plastic material, including polyester. However, it all comes down to your resources at your disposition and determining whether a plastic-free life is viable for you. If not, know that reducing your plastic consumption as much as possible is also a massive help for our planet. In other words, don’t let the desire to do things perfectly keep you from doing anything at all! Do what you can, and don’t worry about the rest.
Thanks for helping our planet and the animals in all ways possible, and good luck on your vegan journey!
