Polyester and Heat

[Lafont]

I got this perfectly gorgeous new Chinese silk robe at Pike Place Market in Seattle last year, which I've written about. Not too long ago I noticed one of the sleeve cuffs looked wretched - holes and haggard. I thought uh-oh - the robe is too delicate and deteriorating way too fast.

Took it to my seamstress who immediately said those are burn marks - assumbly from ironing at the wrong temperature or keeping the iron on too long. Admittedly I did iron the robe, but had set it to "silk" - thinking the entire robe was of this material. She said it appears to be all silk except for these cuffs. She considered turning the cuff over, but the other side was too damaged, so she found a similar fabric - also a silky polyester but excellent match - and sewed on two new cuffs. Fortunately she had extra material to give me - "just in case."

Then a few days ago I look and - whoosh! - same sort of thing with the bottom of the right cuff. I certainly didn't iron the robe, so the only thing I could think of was that morning I opened the dishwasher when it was off but still very hot, and apparently sticking the sleeve in there - apparently with some steam - just those few seconds were enough to make the thin fabric shrivel up (just the new fabric, which overlaps the silk of the rest of the sleeve) and scorch, creating holes and loose threads. Ugly!

Has anyone else had this experience - a few moments of extreme heat ruining polyester cloth? Is this polyester, which does look just like silk, far more delicate than most? Anyway, I guess it's back to a tailor. Too bad, but I really don't want to wear the robe each morning with this disgusting sleeve cuff which looks "burned out."

 

[dasai]

I don't know if it was polyester, but back when I was still new in Japan, I had major issues finding socks that fit (hadn't discovered SF and its affiliates yet). My parents, feeling bad for me, sent me a package of socks for the winter. Now, if you're familiar with Japanese schools, you'll know that they're not centrally heated, and in the winter, they use natural gas- or kerosene-powered space heaters. One day during a particularly cold free period in the staff room, I made the mistake of pointing my feet in the general direction of the heater (still a couple of feet away, mind you) and the socks started to smoke and melt. I later found out from my parents that they had bought them from the dollar store in order to save some money. We were not amused.

 

[Ataturk]

I have a "prosumer" ironing board and the cover is...polyester. I imagine polyester can handle all the heat you can throw at it, if it's made to do it. But there are lots of different kinds of polyester.

 

[Achilles_]

Originally Posted by dasai

I don't know if it was polyester, but back when I was still new in Japan, I had major issues finding socks that fit (hadn't discovered SF and its affiliates yet). My parents, feeling bad for me, sent me a package of socks for the winter.

Now, if you're familiar with Japanese schools, you'll know that they're not centrally heated, and in the winter, they use natural gas- or kerosene-powered space heaters. One day during a particularly cold free period in the staff room, I made the mistake of pointing my feet in the general direction of the heater (still a couple of feet away, mind you) and the socks started to smoke and melt. I later found out from my parents that they had bought them from the dollar store in order to save some money. We were not amused.

Haha I had the same thing happen to some gloves when I was duck hunting

 

[ter1413]

don't iron directly on the fabric. use a buffer!

 

[Lafont]

Here's some info. Yes, polyester kind of curled up and melted, apparently:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...1052139AAnNPll

 

[onix]

There are many types of polyester, ranging from extremely heat-resistant to combustible in high temperature. Polyester used as fabric is in general responsive to heat, thought should not melt easily.