The dawn of "chemical" fibers was, historically, extremely recent, yet they've made a large impact. The era of these fibers is far from over, but their mission has been modified; new developments keep sustainability as well as improved performance in mind. Synthetic Fibers Polyester "Synthetic fibers are constantly evolving," says Alasdair Carmichael, president of the Americas division of PCI Fibres and vice-president of the Synthetic Yarns and Fibers Association. Among synthetic fibers, versatile, economical, and easily available polyester is king. Carmichael says it is the dominant synthetic fiber, with 37 million tons produced globally in 2010. Recent developments in polyester have seen improvements both in sustainability and performance.
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