Polyester: from oil to fiber

Polyester starts as crude oil. Refineries turn it into chemicals called paraxylene and ethylene, which become two feedstocks: PTA (purified terephthalic acid) and MEG (monoethylene glycol). Reacted together, they form a plastic called PET, which is cut into small chips. The chips are melted and pushed through tiny holes in a spinneret to make continuous filaments. Those filaments are either kept long, as filament yarn, or crimped and cut short as polyester staple fiber, the kind blended with viscose or cotton in most uniform fabric.