Tristes Tropiques, Poliéster Tropiques

After receiving a WTO ruling in its favor, the Brazilian government recently announced that it was going to seek retaliatory trade sanctions against the U.S. government for cotton subsidies it is required to pay. Money paid to the U.S. to protect the American industry has resulted in higher cotton costs in Brazil. No doubt this explains the proliferation of polyester clothing here.

Some variations of polyester fibers are better than others but ultimately it remains an impractical textile for clothing use in a hot, humid climate. True, it does not hold wrinkles and is easy to care for. But often, though not always, it is ugly and it simply does not breathe.

The faux carioca recently learned that there are several raw materials used to manufacture a range of polyester types. One of them is petroleum, though she is not sure if this is what goes into the making of textiles. Certainly, a fashionable environmentalist's strongest argument in favor of sustainable natural fibers such as cotton and bamboo is not wanting to support the manufacture of petroleum-based polyester clothing. This argument allows her to be both a textile snob and self-righteous. Charming qualities, to be sure. However, this being Brazil, one wonders if the colorful polyester tops that abound aren't running on ethanol.