Tencel vs Polyester: Understanding the Pros & Cons And How To Build A Plastic Free Wardrobe

If sustainability or your health are a top priority, you may already be considering activewear made with TENCEL™ fibers, but for those of you who may not be as familiar with all natural fibers, don't worry - we'll get you up to speed ASAP!

Overview

Before we get into the benefits of workout clothes made from TENCEL™, we should provide some context around the materials that most activewear is made from along with some of the best activewear fabrics on the market. 

TENCEL vs Polyester

One of the most common fabrics that athletic wear is made from is polyester. Take a look at any of your sports bras, leggings, shirts, or shorts, and odds are that a good number of them list polyester as one of the primary materials.

That's because polyester is cheap to produce, but there are many drawbacks to polyester based activewear. While the presence of harmful chemicals in activewear is hard to avoid with many of the top brands, which have been found to sell clothing containing a number of harmful toxins like BPA, PFAS, and many others, it's not impossible to avoid these toxins. 

Before we get into that, here's a quick summary of how TENCEL™ and Polyester stack up against each other:

TENCEL vs Polyester Summary

Tencel vs Polyester: An Overview

What Is Tencel Lyocell?

TENCEL™ Lyocell is a sustainable and renewable fabric derived from natural raw wood material and it is produced from a resource-saving, closed loop production process. This means that virtually no waste enters the environment as water and non-toxic solvent is reused at a rate of more than 99% during the production of TENCEL™.

The wood pulp used to make TENCEL™ is sourced from Europe and comes from sustainably managed trees, mostly eucalyptus trees. The wood used to make TENCEL™ is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

TENCEL™ contains many of the most sought after properties that women value in their activewear. TENCEL™ is breathable, stretchy, biodegradable, and compostable. It's also naturally moisture wicking and resistant to odor-causing bacteria. In summary, it's the perfect material to make activewear from, even if your top priority isn't sustainability.

Because it is a natural fiber, TENCEL™ also doesn't contain many of the harmful toxins that are present in many of the most common materials our activewear is made from today. While synthetic materials like polyester, which are derived from petrochemicals, contain harmful toxins like BPA, PFAS, and others, TENCEL™ contains none of these so you don't have to sacrifice comfort or your health for sustainability.

What Is Polyester?

Polyester is a synthetic material containing plastic that is usually derived from petroleum. It is one of the most common materials found in clothing production today, used in nearly 70% of all clothing.

One of the main reasons polyester is so commonly used is because it is cheap to produce and consume. Despite its low cost, polyester contains none of the biodegradable or compostable elements that TENCEL™ does. Furthermore, many household activewear brands have recently come under fire for selling clothing with dangerous levels of harmful chemicals like BPA, PFAS, and other toxins.

Polyester is not known to be especially breathable and it traps heat and bacteria, which can lead to skin irritation and contribute to bad odors.

The environmental impact of polyester production has also recently come to light. One wash of a polyester garment can release up to 4,000 microfibers and over 70 million barrels of oil are used to produce polyester each year.

The Pros and Cons of TENCEL™ and Polyester

Pros & Cons of TENCEL

Pros & Cons of Polyester

Building A Plastic Free Wardrobe In 3 Easy Steps

Based on the above mentioned data, you might have reached a similar conclusion as us. TENCEL™ not only offers better performance from an activewear perspective but it also offers unmatched benefits from an environmental perspective. 

If we're honest, there are probably many items of clothing in our wardrobes that contain polyester, so it's not realistic to go out and replace everything all at once. 

Building a sustainable lifestyle and wardrobe is a process that requires thought, devotion, and time. 

You can follow these simple steps to identify what you already own and the fabrics that comprise these items: 

• Identify what items are most in need of repair. You can work with programs like Green America or Fabscrap to recycle or repurpose already existing items of clothing, and now you know which items you should consider replacing first. 

• Review what materials these clothing items are made from. Do you happen to already own any items made from natural fibers? What materials are you seeing most often? 

• Identify gaps in your wardrobe. Are there any items you are missing? When filling any gaps, be sure to replace with high-quality, natural, and versatile items that will last a long time. 

As we mentioned, there's no need to go out and replace your entire wardrobe all at once. Take inventory of what you have. Assess where your gaps are and identify which items of clothing you are most in need of. 

Also, you don't need to throw away everything as you can upcycle old polyester items into tote bags, but it's always best to avoid wearing any polyester items that will make contact directly with your skin. 

Or you can always recycle your old polyester clothing using the resources listed above. 

With all the fast fashion trends and the fact that polyester is so cheap, it's easy to fall into the habit of buying new clothes all the time whenever we see something new catch our eye. 

While investing in all natural fibers like TENCEL™ may seem like a larger up front cost compared to polyester, these garments are made from generic pattern designs in overseas factories where minimum wage can be as low as $0.30 per hour! 

You end up with a pile of poorly manufactured and low-quality apparel because you purchased a number of low cost items to meet your needs but none of them did even that. 

Adopting a minimalist mindset where you focus on quality over quantity and supporting brands that take years to develop the perfect pattern design is a far more cost conscious approach over the long term. 

As we've mentioned before, we test our prototypes on hundreds of women to ensure proper fit, optimized design, and maximum versatility. Silver Sea Apparel products are made from the highest quality fabrics like TENCEL™ and manufactured right here in the U.S.A. to ensure the superior quality. 

Conclusion

While it's easy to justify a fast fashion purchase here and there, investing in your overall well being, sustainability, and high-quality items that last a lot longer than the poorly made apparel produced overseas is a far better long term investment.

When it comes to sports bras or any activewear for that matter, it's critical to consider what they're made of, where and how they're made, and the quality of both the design and fabric. 

Take a look through our TENCEL™ collection that provides not just incredible comfort and style but also ensures that your clothing is made from all natural, sustainable fibers that are healthy for your skin and the environment.

Whether you're after a TENCEL™ sports bra or TENCEL™ activewear, we've got you covered, starting with our first product - the Lifestyle Sports Bra, the most comfortable, supportive, and sustainable sports bra on the market.

Over the coming months, we will be rolling out all the essentials for women living an active lifestyle and looking for the most comfortable, supportive, high-quality, and sustainable activewear.