12/12/2025
It's plastic clothing directly on the skin, we know plastic to be a generally problematic substance to the natural world - including us. Polyester also contains phthalates (linked to endocrine disruption) and can shed a significant amount of microplastics.
On the science side of things, researchers suggest that polyester clothing may affect fertility through a mix of chemical and electrostatic influences. As mentioned, synthetic fabrics often contain phthalates and similar additives that can interfere with hormonal balance once they come into contact with the skin.
Further, polyester is also known to generate persistent electrostatic fields, and early research indicates these fields may influence biological processes in subtle but meaningful ways. Animal studies, particularly experiments with dogs, have shown reduced fertility when polyester garments were worn for extended periods, and fertility returned to normal once the garments were removed.
These results point to a possible link between polyester and reproductive changes, and they highlight the importance of further research to better understand how both the chemicals in the fabric and the electrostatic properties may play a role.