The Death of Polyester

I wrote a fake newspaper article.

And yes, the weather truly has been great out there. Fall in Nashville seems to be undefeated.

And no, polyester is not all bad. I have several such shirts.

Let me live a little.

It reads as follows:

It has come to our attention that the world has ceased to crave a polyester blend. Rather, they desire nostalgia. They desire au naturale. Most are saying they desire a simple cotton. How might this be so? Polyester provides the athletic feel. It even provides you the ability to move your body round and round... Yet, the truth remains that it is a plastic. The truth remains that there is nothing timeless about a polyester polo. It does not get better with age, but rather, it wears down. Sure, it’s strong, and it may takes years for the wear to begin, but your armpits will certainly do enough damage to a polyester shirt to ensure its life is not eternal. Pee-yew, the committee responds! Back to the good ole days of 100% cotton! Polyester is bad for the children, bad for the single men, bad for the married men, bad for the dogs! We mustn’t continue on in our irresponsibility. We must do something about the epidemic hindering the golf landscape from achieving aesthetic and performance greatness. We must not rest until a solution is found. Back to the old days! shouted the mothers and fathers in the streets. Back to who we once were!

After the uproar and near revolt, it should come as no surprise that cotton has returned to the throne. You may be surprised to hear that cotton had been dethroned by such a material as polyester. Polyester promised something it could not maintain forever, for it is life that polyester lacks, and it is life that cotton brings to the table. Cotton, a good cotton, gets better over time. Softer, more breathable. It becomes part of you over time. Like an old car, a favorite t-shirt, a home you live in for some time. It steals your heart, sets up a tent in your soul, creates a safe space for those you love. Cotton!

Truth be told, there will always be a place in the world for polyester and polyester blends. It’s light, durable, quick to dry, maybe a little sticky after a sweat, but feels good. The polos keep their color and structure for a while.

A blend is particularly good for a few reasons — slow to wrinkle, good for travel, still moisture wicking, and certainly comfortable. And depending on the blend, these shirts can be pajama-level comfortable. THEY CAN BE GREAT SHIRTS.

I’ve shouted out UNRL before, and they’ve got some great blends. The polyester/spandex combo they’ve got on some of their polos make it buttery soft.

Also, their condor polo rocks a nylon/spandex mix that feels HIGH performance.

All I’m saying is that in 20 years, GQ isn’t likely going to feature many 100% polyester polos in an article like, Golf Attire for Men: 19 Ways to Actually Look Cool When Hitting the Links — Matthew Roberson

Which, by the way feature fits like these:

Many will say, I would never want to go out there and play 18 in that stuff.

I understand. But to many, golf is as much an avenue of expression as it is pursuit of improvement.

I’m out there to have some fun.

Would I rather shoot an 88 and look good out there or shoot an 87 and look like a nike ad? Because I’m telling you my fit is not hindering my game THAT much. I think I’d like to look good out there.

Btw after notching an 86 two months ago, I’ve yet to crack 90, so maybe I’d take any stroke I could get at this point.

I urge you not to take this as end all be all. Polyester is a performance fabric that does the job and allows for companies to make a lot of polos and make good ones too.

It’s maybe not meant to be sold 10 years later for $100 at a vintage apparel shop. Those finds are typically reserved for the 100% cotton, lightly worn, timelessly designed pieces. These are are also few and far between, but the material gives you a better shot at timeless.

Y’all go have a week.

Cheers,

Luke ManganOn Golf