What is Polyester Apparel: Everything You Should Know Before Buying Wholesale
By: ShirtsBargain Posted on: Sep 9, 2025Polyester has become America's go-to fabric choice, present in everything from athletic wear to everyday casual clothing. Walk into any retail store, and you'll find polyester in nearly 60% of all garments on display. For wholesale buyers, understanding this synthetic fabric can really help product line decisions. As a matter of fact, some of ShirtsBargain’s biggest bestsellers, including the Sport-Tek ST350, the ST550, and the Port Authority K540, primarily have polyester or only 100% polyester as the fabric material.
Let's break down what makes polyester so important today and why it might be just what you need for bulk apparel purchases.
What is Polyester Fabric in Apparel?
Polyester is a synthetic fabric—man-made entirely from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a petroleum-derived polymer created through a process called polymerization. The fabric’s unique molecular arrangement provides it with exceptional strength and dimensional stability, making it highly resistant to stretching, tearing, and abrasion. In the case of apparel, polyester garments are very durable, resistant to shrinkage unlike cotton, and resistant to abrasion. Additionally, polyester apparel has excellent shape retention. Explains why brands like Sport-Tek masterfully use their apparel made of polyester to elevate athletic performance in so many ways.
What is 100% polyester?
"100% polyester" in the wholesale apparel industry typically refers to garments made of a fabric that’s 100% polyester. It can also be the fabric itself, being 100% polyester.
What are the various types of polyester fabrics?
There are many types of polyester fabrics in the textile industry, including:
- Microfiber: Tightly woven with very fine fibers, offering exceptional softness and lightweight properties.
- Polyester Satin: Features a luxurious sheen and smooth texture, commonly used in formal wear.
- Polyester Fleece: Provides excellent insulation and warmth while remaining lightweight. Commonly used in jackets, sweatshirts, and hooded sweatshirts. One of our best-selling high-value, low-cost jackets is a midweight polyester fleece F217 jacket from Port Authority.
- Polyester Canvas: Offers superior durability for heavy-duty applications.
How Does Polyester Feel?
The feel of polyester gives away the fact that it’s synthetic. Polyester fabric has a smooth texture, is slightly slippery, and is typically lightweight. But this texture can vary based on the manufacturing quality, the construction, and the finishing processes applied. The F217 Value Fleece jacket from Port Authority is a great example. Featuring a notably smooth texture, this 100% polyester jacket is engineered to be low pill and exceptionally soft, almost like cotton. Port Authority is known for their craftsmanship with polyester garments, and the F217 serves as a testament to the brand’s expertise in making polyester reasonably breathable and almost as soft as natural fibers.
A good way to identify high-quality polyester is to compare it with standard polyester for softness. High-quality polyester is softer and can mimic the texture of natural fibers. Low-quality polyester tends to be stiffer and might feel scratchy.
Polyester feel and texture can vary depending on whether the fabric is knitted or woven. Knitted polyester is more flexible, while woven polyester has better structural integrity.
Is 100% Polyester Breathable?
Polyester is inherently non-breathable. It can trap heat and retain moisture, as the fabric doesn’t allow air to circulate freely. This is why polyester is not used in hot weather conditions. But this is not the case today, as polyester apparel that is breathable and moisture-wicking is used year-round.
Modern textile engineering has introduced moisture-wicking technologies that help get the sweat away from the skin to the fabric surface for faster evaporation. This technology is present in the majority of polyester polo shirts, t-shirts, and other garments in ShirtsBargain. This is why most in-demand uniform polo shirt styles in our collection are primarily made of polyester or poly-cotton blends with more polyester in the fabric composition. An iconic example is the Port Authority K500—our ultimate uniform polo, made of an amazing polyester-cotton pique blend that gives it an array of properties. The Port Authority K500’s fabric and features still don’t cost big, especially in ShirtsBargain.
Use Cases of Polyester Apparel
Polyester's versatility makes it suitable for diverse applications across multiple industries.
- Sportswear and Activewear: Polyester dominates the wholesale athletic apparel market due to its exceptional moisture-wicking capabilities and quick-drying properties. Brands in ShirtsBargain like Sport-Tek, Port Authority and Nike use polyester for its sweat-repellent characteristics and ability to keep wearers dry during intense physical activities.
- Everyday Clothing: The fashion industry utilizes polyester in shirts, pants, dresses, jackets, underwear, and socks due to its affordability and low maintenance requirements. Cotton-polyester blends are particularly popular for uniforms and casual wear, offering cotton's comfort with polyester's durability and wrinkle resistance. The fabric's excellent dye retention properties ensure vibrant, long-lasting colors that resist fading over time. This is further enhanced by fabric technologies like PosiCharge, which you will find on many styles in our Sport-Tek wholesale apparel collection including the brand’s most popular t-shirt - the ST350, the ST550 polo shirt, and blank tank tops like the ST551.
- Industrial and Technical Applications: Beyond apparel, polyester serves critical industrial functions including tire reinforcement, conveyor belts, safety belts, and coated fabrics. Its chemical resistance and dimensional stability make it valuable for technical textiles in mining, healthcare, and civil engineering applications.
How Polyester Compares with Other Fabrics
- Polyester vs Cotton: Polyester is more durable than cotton, retains shape better, and is resistant to shrinkage. Cotton, however, is more breathable and offers better moisture absorbency. Polyester also costs around half as much per kilogram as cotton, generally. This price difference is one reason why polyester dominates in fast fashion and bulk apparel manufacturing.
Polyester vs Cotton |
||
Factor |
Polyester |
Cotton |
|
Durability |
More durable |
Less durable |
|
Shape
Retention |
Retains shape
better |
May lose
shape |
|
Shrinkage |
Shrink
resistant |
Prone to
shrinking |
|
Breathability |
Less breathable |
Core
breathable |
|
Moisture
Handling |
Wicks
moisture |
Absorbs
moisture |
|
Cost per kg |
50% less
expensive |
Higher cost |
|
Manufacturing
Use |
Dominates
fast fashion & bulk |
Premium &
comfort wear |
- Polyester vs Wool: Wool can regulate body temperature better, keeping wearers warm in cold weather and cool in warm conditions. Polyester cannot naturally regulate temperature and traps heat and humidity. Polyester does not offer natural insulation like wool. In terms of durability and ease of care, polyester far surpasses wool.
Polyester vs Wool |
||
Factor |
Polyester |
Wool |
|
Temperature
Regulation |
Cannot naturally
regulate |
Regulates
naturally |
|
Cold Weather
Performance |
Basic warmth |
Keeps warm
effectively |
|
Warm Weather
Performance |
Traps heat
and humidity |
Keeps cool |
|
Natural
Insulation |
No natural
insulation |
Excellent
natural insulation |
|
Durability |
Far superior |
Less durable |
|
Ease of Care |
Very easy
maintenance |
Requires
special care |
- Polyester vs Nylon: Nylon is stronger and stretchier compared to polyester, and they typically last longer. Polyester wicks moisture more effectively than nylon, making it a better choice for high-intensity sports. Nylon is typically softer, smoother, and shinier. But modern high-quality polyester has become comparable in almost every way. Polyester remains cheaper than nylon and is better when it comes to dyeing and decorations.
Polyester vs Nylon |
||
Factor |
Polyester |
Wool |
|
Strength |
Strong |
Stronger |
|
Stretchiness |
Moderate
stretch |
More stretchy |
|
Longevity |
Durable |
Typically lasts
longer |
|
Moisture
Wicking |
Superior
wicking |
Lower wicking
ability |
|
Sports
Performance |
Better for
high-intensity |
Less ideal
for sports |
|
Texture |
Improving
with modern quality |
Softer,
smoother, shinier |
|
Cost |
Cheaper |
More
expensive |
|
Dyeing and
Decoration |
Better dye
uptake |
More
challenging to dye |
Seasonal Advantages of Polyester Fabric
- Winter advantages: Polyester's fine plastic threads trap body heat effectively. Some jackets also feature polyester’s moisture-wicking properties that prevent sweat accumulation and often have technologies to evaporate the moisture while offering a cool sensation. Winter outerwear and base layers benefit from polyester's consistent insulation properties, as long as the jackets and vests you choose to buy in bulk meet your practical requirements
- Summer considerations: Quick-drying capabilities can be very convenient during hot-weather activities. UV resistance protects against sun damage and can maintain color integrity. Advanced moisture-wicking technologies help manage sweat during physical activities. Just make sure you choose the right polyester or polyester-blend t-shirts for summer.
- All-season versatility: Polyester maintains consistent performance across different weather conditions, unlike natural fibers that behave differently as humidity and temperature change.
Wholesale Advantages of Polyester Fabric
The global polyester market is projected to grow from $125.38 billion to $191.57 billion by 2030, with a 7.3% annual growth rate. This growth is primarily due to polyester's cost-effectiveness and adaptability.
For wholesale buyers of polyester apparel, the benefits are many:
- Sourcing at low cost for better profit margins
- Reduced inventory losses
- Durability of the fabric minimizes customer returns for retailers and resellers
- Can diversify product lines
Conclusion
Polyester's reliability makes it a solid investment when sourcing polyester apparel wholesale. Even more so when sourced from ShirtsBargain, where polyester t-shirts, polo shirts, and more come at unmatched wholesale pricing and bulk discounts.
Unlike natural fibers that vary based on growing conditions, synthetic polyester provides consistent quality standards. We recommend checking out our collection of polyester blends too. Especially the offerings from Sport-Tek, Port Authority, Mercer+Mettle, and CornerStone. Feel free to also explore our winter-defying jackets that are primarily made of polyester fabrics. Now that you are well informed about polyester's capabilities, your wholesale apparel purchases will certainly do better in satisfying both your profit margins and customer expectations.