Polyester fabric is a synthetic fabric; it's completely man-made and not derived from a plant or an animal. The polyester fiber is made by heating petroleum and gas to form solid chips. These chips are melted and spun into a thread-like fiber. A machine with a winding tube twists the fibers to add stretchiness and elasticity, and then the yarn is woven into fabric.

While polyester is inexpensive to produce, is easy to clean and resists stretching, wrinkles and mildew, it also has its downsides. Polyester batting for quilts and pillow filler is less expensive than down, but unlike down, it tends to flatten out and clump over time.

As a petroleum-based product, it also has a wide range of negative impacts on the environment. The good news is that several companies are now making polyester thread from recycled plastic bottles instead of petroleum — as in this pillow from Design Public.

Polyester carpeting tends to be less expensive than nylon, but it has some drawbacks: It is not as resistant to oil-based stains, and it tends to mat and crush more easily than nylon. Some polyester carpeting can emit potentially harmful gases when new.

Builder-grade polyester carpet can cost as little as $10 per yard, compared with nylon of the same quality for $14 per yard.

Polyester can be a great choice for sheers and drapes, as it tends to resist the sun and is more easily washable than other textiles. It is often used on outdoor furniture, too, because it's resistant to sun damage, wrinkles and mildew, and it dries quickly. The cost of most polyester outdoor fabric starts at around $15 a yard. Keep in mind that polyester can spot easily from anything oil based.

Of course, polyester isn't just used for textiles. This translucent ceiling is made of a smart glass substitution: Kalwall, a very durable product made with polyester as one of the base components. Developed in the 1950s, this material didn't gain traction until the '70s, when it was finally recognized for its superior energy efficiency.

Read more about Kalwall

Color like this fun green is often applied using a polyester powder coating. The process binds better to metal than paint does, forming a skin that tends to be much stronger. Powder coatings also tend to be much more environmentally friendly than typical paint or other coatings, since its overspray can be recycled. Most powder coatings emit low or zero volatile organic compounds (VOCs), too.