What does ‘polyester’ have to do with Gen Z? Everything, apparently - USA Today
Gen Z is adopting the term 'polyester' as a slang descriptor for low-quality, cheap, or inauthentic behavior and fashion. The trend stems from a broader cultural pushback against synthetic fabrics and fast-fashion aesthetics.
Why it matters
This linguistic shift reflects changing consumer values among younger generations regarding sustainability, quality, and digital-age authenticity.
Hear this story Nobody wants to be polyester.
A recent viral video shows an 18-year-old talking about his dream adult lifestyle. "I want to wake up at 6 a.m. in my New York City penthouse, Bible study with the boys before anything else ... Blue light glasses on, deep work, house music, locked in. I'm not gonna even be doing half of the work because my Claude agent is gonna be running automatic in the background."“Polyester lifestyle,” reads the top comment on one TikTok, which has racked up more than 40,000 likes.
That term, "polyester," is popping up more and more online.
In short, Gen Zers are using it to call something low-quality or cheap.
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