Why Polyester Golf Shirts Are Basically Plastic Garbage Bags With Buttons
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Let’s Not Sugarcoat It:
Polyester is plastic.
So if you’re wearing a polyester “performance” golf shirt, you’re literally wearing a thin, shiny, artificially scented garbage bag… with buttons.
Sounds harsh?
Good. Because someone needs to say it.
Here’s What You’re Really Wearing
Polyester is made from petroleum. That’s the same stuff used to make plastic bottles, tire cords, and yes—trash bags. It’s spun into fibers, marketed as “tech fabric,” and sewn into shiny shirts that trap heat, trap funk, and act like a cheap sauna suit.
On the course, that means:
- Instant sweat cling
- Armhole friction that feels like sandpaper
- Heat buildup like you’re microwaving your torso
- The smell… dear god, the smell
Polyester doesn’t breathe. It doesn’t dry. It just marinates you in your own funk.
“Moisture-Wicking” Is a Scam
Brands love to brag about how polyester “wicks sweat.”
Translation?
It moves your sweat across the surface of the plastic, and keeps it there. So instead of letting it evaporate off your body, you’re now wearing a film of recycled sweat that’s still touching your skin.
That matters. A lot.
Your sweat doesn’t just cool you off. It’s your body pushing out toxins: including heavy metals, BPA, phthalates, and other nasty stuff you don’t want soaking back in.
Polyester traps it. Then steams it. Then offers it back to your pores like some dystopian spa treatment.
Let’s Talk Microplastics… and the Sack
If that wasn’t enough, studies now suggest that polyester shirts shed microplastics.
Tiny, invisible particles that get into your skin and bloodstream.
Even wilder? Researchers have reportedly found microplastics in male testicular tissue — and links to lower testosterone, sperm count, and endocrine disruption.
So yeah… maybe that “high performance” polo isn’t helping your game in any department.
So Why Do Most Golf Shirts Still Use Polyester?
Because it’s cheap. Shiny. Easy to print on, so they can pump out “limited drops.”
And you can call it “performance” if you throw in a couple buzzwords like “cooling zones” or “athletic cut.”
But it wasn’t designed for guys chasing 85 in 90-degree heat. It was designed for catalogs and profit margins.
What to Wear Instead
At Lone Buffalo, we bucked the polyester movement.
Our polos are made with a custom bamboo-based blend that:
- Absorbs sweat and lets it evaporate naturally
- Breathes like a summer breeze—not a trash bag
- Fights odor so you don’t stink people out after a round
- Feels buttery soft, not synthetic
- Contains zero microplastic nonsense
No cling. No shine. No chemical mystery.
Just a damn good polo made for real golfers with real sweat and real swing speed (or lack thereof).
Bottom Line
If you’re still rocking plastic on the course, it’s time to upgrade.
Your skin deserves better.
Your scorecard deserves better.
And frankly, your sack deserves better.
👉 See the bamboo-blend polos real golfers are switching to →