Polymer-Free by Choice.
Choosing polymer-free is our way of caring twice: for the body that wears the garment, and for the world behind the garment.
At Pi Yei, being polymer-free is not a trend decision. It is a design decision, a health-led decision, and a values-led decision.
We chose to build our textiles around natural and plant-based fibers because we wanted something more coherent: materials that feel gentler on the body, simpler in their composition, and less dependent on the fossil-fuel systems that dominate modern textiles. Today, synthetic fibers still dominate the global fiber market, with polyester alone accounting for 57% of total fiber production in 2023, while virgin fossil-based synthetic fiber production rose from 67 million tonnes in 2022 to 75 million tonnes in 2023.
For us, polymer-free is not about fear. It is about intention. It is about asking better questions: what do we want touching the skin every day, and what kind of industry do we want our products to support?
Closer to the skin
In bed, at home, at rest, against the skin. That makes material choice feel especially personal to us. We do not see fabric as neutral. We see it as part of the daily environment of the body.
Textiles are in direct contact with our skin for hours at a time. Research shows that some hazardous chemicals present in clothing can migrate into sweat and be absorbed through skin, while skin-allergenic compounds are found frequently in synthetic garments. That does not mean every item is unsafe; it does mean that fiber choice, dye choice, and chemical testing matter — especially for garments worn close to the body.
Fewer harmful substances, stricter thinking
We also believe in reducing unnecessary chemical exposure wherever possible. That is one reason why we work with azo-free dyes and why certifications around harmful-substance testing matter to us.
OEKO-TEX states that its STANDARD 100 tests every certified item against more than 1,000 harmful substances, and that the stricter the skin contact, the stricter the human-ecology requirements and lab tests.
The European Commission’s textile strategy likewise sets a 2030 direction in which textiles placed on the EU market are durable, repairable, recyclable and, to a great extent, free of hazardous substances.
A system tied to oil and gas
The IEA notes that oil supply disruptions remain a pressing concern, and that since 1991 it has coordinated five collective responses to major oil-market disruptions triggered by wars, geopolitical strife and extreme weather events.
It also says the global gas crisis after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine drove up prices, fuelled inflation and heightened geopolitical risks.
For us, this matters because a textile industry built on fossil-derived materials is not separate from that instability — it depends on it.
Microplastic release
Synthetic textiles are also a known source of microplastic pollution. The European Environment Agency says that about 8% of European microplastics released to oceans come from synthetic textiles, while globally the estimate is 16–35%.
It also estimates that 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes of microplastics from textiles enter the global marine environment each year.
75 million tonnes
of virgin fossil-based synthetic fibers were produced in 2023.
68%
of global fiber production in 2023 was polyester alone.
200,000–500,000 tonnes
of textile microplastics enter the global marine environment every year.