Very Poor
Material Deep Dive
Virgin Polyester
Virgin polyester scores 13 because its fossil-based production has high climate impact and its water footprint is dominated by very large grey-water pollution burdens in petrochemical supply chains.
Synthetic
Virgin
End of Life
Not biodegradable
20/100
Chemical Use
Very High
20/100
Pollution
Very High
15/100
Water Usage
60,862 L/kg
9/100
Carbon Footprint
14.2 kg CO₂/kg
10/100
Carbon Footprint Analysis
10/100
Virgin Polyester produces approximately 14.2 kg CO₂-equivalent per kilogram of fiber.
The Data
Carbon Footprint
14.2 kg CO₂/kg
FSI Carbon Score
10/100
Sources: Higg Materials Sustainability Index, Textile Exchange Preferred Fiber Report
Sustainability Breakdown
Microplastic risk
High
Care level
Easy
Available certifications
OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, OEKO-TEX STeP, bluesign Approved, ZDHC MRSL programs (process-level)
Key properties
high strength, wrinkle resistance, quick-drying, dimensionally stable, abrasion resistant, colorfast, low-cost, lightweight
Common uses
sportswear, activewear, t-shirts, fleece, fast-fashion apparel, linings, outerwear, swimwear, intimates, home textiles
Also known as
PET, polyethylene terephthalate, virgin PET, conventional polyester, fossil-based polyester