The Word 'Polyester' Is Rising As A New Slang Term For Calling Something Cheap And Low Quality

Polyester is a slang term used to call something low-quality or mass-produced, especially something that tries to pass itself off as high quality but is actually cheapl and poorly constructed. The term is a direct reference to polyester fabric, a cheap, synthetic material that is often used in fast fashion to make large quantities of low-quality clothing. "Polyester" was popularized as a slang term throughout 2026. It became notably popular during the backlash against so-called Polyester edits, a series of flashy-looking edits on TikTok that appear to be high quality, but are purportedly simply made and unoriginal.