The focal point of my research about Polyester was the extremely positive reception it recieved when it began being mass-produced in the 1950s. It was hailed as a ‘wonder-fiber’ due to its extreme durability and its ability to be washed and dried without damaging the material. As time passed, however, the material’s image shifted, and many viewed it as cheap and unfashionable. It’s strong point was its convenience, but as style and concern for the enviroment hailed, Polyester became less appealing.

With the posters I created, I aimed to create fun and almost childish images, in order to reference my object (a stuffed toy). I wanted to play around with the concept of manmade and handmade, hence the collage. The posters can be viewed almost as propoganda for a material that really is the opposite of “safe” and “sustainable.”

The critique was helpful, and aided me in realizing that certain themes I wished to express did not really come out in these posters, such as the ones mentioned earlier. As the creator, I understand that polyester isn’t sustainable, and is often dangerous to create due to the chemicals involved (many of which are pollutants.) The posters themselves view polyester in a mostly positive light, except for the on the far left. I think that I would make my design choices more intentional in the future, as well as conduct more clear research in order to create a more impactful and compelling design. Ultimately these posters seemed shallow at best, and while I believe their aesthetic was cohesive, I feel that they fail to deliver a delibrate or clear message.

(Instead I could have created a hierarchy of information– starting with the appeal of polyester to the consumer, and moving inward to the cost of polyester on the environment, perhaps going ahead more to talk about the guise of sustainability in regard to the “recycling” of polyester.)