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‘It gives Shein’: how did polyester become the world’s most-hated material?

Source: The Guardian Business - Published: 29 Aug 2026 16:00

Due to its ubiquity in fast fashion, gen Z are pushing back against the synthetic material and using it as an insultIn 2015, Kate Moss called an easyJet pilot a “basic bitch” and a catchy new insult meaning obvious and uncool hit the mainstream. Had it happened in 2026, Moss might have used the word “polyester”, reportedly gen Z’s new favorite diss, levied at cheap-looking videos on TikTok, and sometimes at other users’ taste.But its use as a figurative insult also echoes a literal backlash against polyester, now the most-produced synthetic fibre on the planet. Continue reading...