The polyester family was largely studied by American chemist Wallace Carothers, who discovered nylon. When DuPont chose to concentrate on promising nylon research, Carothers’ work was resumed by two British chemists, John R. Whinfield and James T. Dickson. Along with some other inventors, in 1941 they created the first polyester fibre. It was formed from ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. It was called Terylene and manufactured by Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI).
In 1946, DuPont bought all legal rights for the material and came up with the second polyester fibre which they named Dacron®. It was an inexpensive and durable fibre, so it soon invaded the textile market. It was advertised as a miracle fibre that could be worn for 68 days straight without ironing and it would still not wrinkle.
One of the best things about polyester is that it does not absorb water, so most of our outdoor gear is made of this material.
Polyethylene terephthalate is a member of the polyester family which is used in shatterproof bottles for drinks.
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