Women's Polyester Swimwear: Shop by Style, Detail & Fit

Polyester is the workhorse of serious swimwear: slightly less silky than nylon to the touch, but dramatically more resistant to chlorine, sunlight, and fading. Competitive swimmers, water aerobics devotees, and anyone who practically lives in the pool should be shopping polyester.

The trade: polyester feels a touch less luxurious than nylon microfiber and can feel warmer, but modern polyester-spandex blends have closed the comfort gap considerably. Where polyester truly wins is lifespan — a polyester suit survives seasons of chlorinated water that would kill three nylon suits. It also holds color and resists UV degradation far better, making it the smart pick for sunny climates generally.

PBT: The Upgrade

Look for PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) blends — a polyester-family fiber with inherent stretch, often marketed in "endurance" swim lines. PBT suits need less spandex to achieve stretch, which means less of the chlorine-vulnerable component overall. They cost more upfront and cost less per swim.

Care

Polyester is forgiving: it tolerates everything better than nylon. Still rinse after use and avoid sustained high heat, which degrades the spandex component even when the polyester shrugs it off.