Polyester: The Goliath

We may be small, but our goal is clear: one sale at a time, we’re working to loosen polyester’s chokehold on the textile industry.

I always knew polyester was everywhere, but I didn’t fully grasp its dominance until I read the Textile Exchange Materials Market Report 2024. According to their research, synthetic fibers made up 67% of global fiber production in 2023, with polyester alone accounting for the vast majority of that share. That means nearly two-thirds of all textiles produced worldwide, from fashion to throws to bedding, are synthetic, fossil-fuel-based, and non-biodegradable [Textile Exchange, 2024].

When I long for the days of the 1990s, it’s not just nostalgia, it’s rooted in fact. Back then, high-end products were made with actual natural materials. Cotton, wool and linen, these were the norm, not the exception. Fast forward 35 years, and the opposite is true. Polyester has quietly become the default, even in products marketed as “luxury.”

I won’t speak to how we got here. But I will speak to how we move forward: through education, transparency, and consumer empowerment. Just as we learned to read food labels and embrace organic choices, we need a parallel movement in textiles. “Read the label” should apply to your blanket as much as your granola.

It’s not enough to feel the fabric and say, “Oh, but it’s so pretty.” We need to look deeper. Because ignoring the label and focusing only on color or softness has consequences for our health, our homes, and our planet.

We are small, but we are mighty. At Peplos Linen, our goal is to make flax linen a larger part of the textile conversation. We focus on natural, sustainable, and vegan materials, which means even animal-derived fibers like wool are something we consciously avoid. We believe in comfort that’s clean, beauty that’s honest, and textiles that respect both your skin and the soil they came from.

Reading this report didn’t just inform me, it focused me. My purpose is now sharper: to make flax linen a leader in textiles and reduce polyester to a minor character, not the Goliath it currently is.

So I’ll ask you: Have you read the tag on your blanket lately?