Polyethylene terephthalate

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Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P) is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foods, and thermoformed parts for manufacturing, and in combination with glass fibre for engineering resins. In 2025, annual global production of PET was 31 million tons with 2031 projections showing over 40 million tons. In the context of textile applications, PET is referred to by its common name, polyester, whereas the acronym PET is generally used in relation to packaging. PET used in non-fiber applications (i.e. for packaging) makes up about 6% of world polymer production by mass. Including the >60% fraction of polyethylene terephthalate produced for use as polyester fibers, PET is the fourth-most-produced polymer after polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PET consists of repeating (C10H8O4) units. It is commonly recycled...

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