Polar- tec (polyester fleece)

Pola

r- te

c (p

olye

ster

flee

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The raw material for polyester fleece is polyester, which is made from two petroleum products: terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol. Some or all of the polyester yarn may be recycled from soda bottles. Various dyes also make up raw materials, as well as finishing substances such as Teflon or other waterproofing chemicals

• The chemical name for the polymer, which forms polyester, is polyethylene terephthalate, or PET. If PET is not extruded into fibres, it can be formed into the plastic commonly used for soda bottles. Interest in recycling plastics in the 1980s led to the development of polyester fibre made from used soda bottles. Many polyester fleece garments on the market today are made from a combination of recycled and virgin polyester

Heated rollers are used to emboss the surface to give textural interest

Embossing

Watch these clips, make notes in your Tech book and then answer the following questions

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhx7-DB-_y4

• Recycled polyester yarn production

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sr7Y5ZK990&feature=related

• Polar-tec production

Notes and questions• How is fleece produced, is it woven, knitted or felted?• List the main processes in the production of fleece fabric

(Polar-tec)• What is the nap of a fabric? How is napping done on the clip?• What Quality Control tests does the fabric undergo during

production?• Near the end of production, how is steam used?• Why do you think the workers are wearing face masks?• Research and give 6 examples of end use.• What are the properties of Polar-Tec? (polyester fleece

fabric? )