When you want to go to the pool, you have to wear the proper clothing. Indeed, many pools will not admit you if you are not dressed well for the pool. Since polyester is one of the most popular fabrics used to make clothes, one commonly asked question is whether one can wear polyester in the pool.
You can wear polyester in the pool. Indeed, a polyester blend is one of the best fabrics to wear in the pool since the blend will be chlorine resistant, holds shape, resist pilling and abrasion, and has a soft and comfortable fit. However, 100% polyester might not be the best as it is not highly breathable, while rough seams, fibers, fastenings, and thread can be itchy, especially if your skin is highly sensitive.
This article discusses 11 different reasons why you can wear polyester in the pool. Read the article in full and understand why polyester blend is one of the best fabrics to wear in the pool.
What Is Polyester?
Polyester is a general term for a fabric that has been made from polyester fibers. Polyester is derived from the synthetic polymer known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), from which the fabric is made from.
100% polyester is a petroleum product made from malleable plastic similar to the plastic that makes water bottles.
Since its development, polyester has become popular with apparel manufacturers since, among other reasons, polyester is cheap, resists stains, heat, stretching, and shrinking.
11 Reasons Why You Can Wear Polyester In Pool
When looking to buy clothes to wear in the pool, polyester will always be one of the fabrics to consider since the fabric is used to make different types of clothing.
However, it is important to point out that you are less likely to find 100% polyester clothing since the fabric is mainly blended with other fabrics to ensure that the known weaknesses of the polyester are fixed.
Let’s look at different reasons why polyester is one of the best fabrics to wear in the pool.
1. Chemical Resistant
Chlorine is regularly used in the pool to eliminate bacteria and algae while also oxidizing other materials, such as dirt and chloramines.
In addition to chlorine, muriatic acid is also added to the pool since it can kill mold, get rid of rust stain, remove calcium deposits, and clean the pool’s surface.
Other common chemicals used in the pool comprise; sodium hypochlorite, di-chlor, tri-chlor, lithium hypochlorite, and calcium hypochlorite.
As you can see, different chemicals are used in the pool. On the other hand, some fabrics are known to react to chemicals. Thus, if you go to the pool with clothing made with materials that cannot resist the chemicals in the pool, your clothing will be ruined by the chemicals, and the clothes could also contaminate pool water.
Since polyester is highly resistant to chemicals, you can wear polyester in the pool, and the polyester clothing will not be damaged by the different chemicals used in the pool.
2. Soft and Comfortable Fit
A swimsuit needs to be comfortable and, at the same time, attractive. Indeed, when you go swimming, your swimwear should be figure-hugging so that any of your body flows are concealed by the swimwear fabric while other body parts that you want others to see will be well displayed.
When blended with lycra, spandex, or elastane, the polyester fabric makes your body look perfect since the elastic fabric that polyester is blended with will tightly hold your body in shape while at the same time concealing body flows that you might not want to expose.
Thus, due to some polyester blends’ softness and comfortable fit, it is perfectly fine to wear polyester in the pool.
3. UV Resistant
When swimming, you should wear swimwear made from a fabric resistant to UV rays. UV rays are known to cause radiation that could damage skin cells. Thus, your swimwear must be made from a fabric that can protect you from UV rays and cannot fade in the sun.
Protection from UV rays is essential all year round and not just during the hot months since the rays can reach you even on a cloudy day as long as you come into contact with sunlight.
The UV rays can reach you even on cloudy and cool days and reflect on various surfaces such as snow, water, and sand.
Polyester is highly resistant to UV rays, and as such, it is one of the best fabrics to wear in a pool since the fabric will protect you from UV rays that might be reflected in the water and could be harmful to your skin.
4. 2 Way and 4 Way Stretch
Usually, polyester swimwear is blended with other stretchy fabrics. The blended polyester fabrics used to make the swimwear make polyester stretchy. Depending on the nature of the fabric that polyester is blended, the swimwear has a two-way or four-way stretch.
A 2-way stretch fabric will make the swimwear stretch from edge to edge, while a 4-way stretch fabric will make the fabric stretch edge to edge and along the length of the grain.
Whether your polyester swimwear fabric has a 2 way or 4-way stretch, the stretch on the fabric implies that when you wear the polyester swimwear in the pool, the swimwear will comfortably fit you. Therefore, it is ok for you to wear polyester in the pool.
5. Good Breathability
Even though polyester is less breathable than natural fabrics, it is still breathable enough to ensure you have a good time in the pool.
Breathability in fabrics entails the ability of a fabric to permit perspiration that is evaporated by the body to escape to the outside so that you can be comfortable.
Even though sweating in the pool is not a major concern, the swimsuit you wear in the pool is the same swimsuit you might wear to the beach. In hot weather conditions, you will most likely sweat even when wearing a swimsuit.
Due to polyester’s breathability, it is OK to wear a polyester swimsuit in the pool and on the beach.
6. Highly Durable
A swimsuit needs to be highly durable. When buying your swimwear, you expect that the swimwear will last a few months. However, if the swimwear is made of fabrics that are not highly durable, the swimwear will only last a few weeks and wear out.
You can wear polyester in the pool and be assured that the swimwear will last you a long time since polyester is durable and is not ruined by water.
7. Easy to clean
Polyester is one of the easiest fabrics to clean. That is the case because polyester is resistant to stains as the stains do not soak in polyester. Instead, stains rest on top of polyester making it easy to clean the swimwear.
Thus, you can wear polyester in the pool and maintain the polyester swimwear well since it is easy to clean and maintain polyester.
8. Resistant to pilling
Quality swimwear should resist pilling. Swimwear that has pilling does not look and can even send a message that you do not know how to take good care of your swimsuit.
Polyester is resistant to pilling, implying that if you have a polyester swimsuit, you are assured that the swimsuit will not pill. You can thus wear your polyester swimsuit and get in the pool with it, confident that the swimsuit will not pill easily.
9. Dries quickly
If you go to the pool regularly, you need swimwear made with a material that dries quickly. Alternatively, you will be required to buy a few swimsuits so that you can alternate as others dry.
As a synthetic fabric, polyester dries very quickly. Indeed, you can wash, rinse, and dry your polyester and make it ready for your next visit to the pool in a matter of hours.
10. Lightweight
Swimwear fabric has to be lightweight since the swimsuit will be uncomfortable if it’s not lightweight. On the other hand, a lighter fabric that is also stretchy will make you look good while also ensuring that your body temperature is not hot.
Polyester is lightweight and, to some extent, has a silkier feel. As such, it is ideal to wear polyester when going to the pool since its lightweight implies that air can circulate well in and outside of the skin, thus keeping your body temperature cool.
11. Fade Resistant
As a synthetic fabric, polyester is fade resistant. The fabric will not fade in the pool despite coming into contact with water that has different pool chemicals in it.
Therefore, a polyester swimsuit is ideal to be worn in the pool since the swimsuit cannot fade in the pool water. Some fabrics might bleed in the pool. However, polyester will never bleed and fade in the pool.
Moreover, polyester does not contaminate pool water, thus making it ideal for pools.
Conclusion
Polyester is one of the best materials that should be used to make swimming costumes. All swimming pools allow polyester since the fabric has different values, making it the perfect swimming costume material.
However, take note that 100% polyester fabric is not the best for swimming. The best polyester swimming to wear in the pool should be a blend of polyester with a stretchy fabric like lycra, elastane, or spandex.
Sources
Arnaud, H. C. 2017. What are pool chemicals, and how do they protect swimmers?
CDC. Sun Safety
