Find anything that looks fake or inauthentic online, whether it is a meticulously curated lifestyle, an AI-generated video passed off as real, or a supposedly candid moment that looks a little too perfectly staged, and open the comments. Chances are, you’ll spot someone calling it ‘polyester’. It might leave you wondering what a cheap, synthetic fabric has to do with any of it. Quite a lot, as it turns out.
A viral TikTok featuring an 18-year-old describing his dream adult life, from waking up at 6 a.m. in a New York penthouse and running in Central Park to doing ‘deep work’ while an AI agent handles the workload, became a target for the internet’s newest insult. One comment simply read, ‘Polyester lifestyle’, earning more than 40,000 likes.
It follows a similar logic, becoming shorthand for “I don’t believe you” or “that’s fake. For those unfamiliar with the term, polyester is the latest Gen Z slang used as an insult to call out something that feels fake, manufactured, generic or inauthentic, even when it looks ideal online. Polyester follows viral terms like larping, slop, performative male, industry plant and FRFR (For real for real), all of which centre on authenticity and call out what feels fake. Alongside polyester, another phrase, ‘That’s so AI’ or ‘That’s AI’, is emerging, particularly among Gen Alpha. Users dubbed the algorithmically polished vision of aspirational living polyester.
That’s why they say, ‘Oh, it’s such a polyester lifestyle,’ or ‘he’s such a polyester person,’ which means that something is very inauthentic, which was shown as authentic. ” The slang also taps into a wider rejection of mass-produced, ultra-fast fashion. Because it looks good online, does a lifestyle genuinely work for you, or are you performing it. Because it lives online is also questioning a lot of the superficiality that exists online, it represents a larger discomfort with things that feel artificial or disconnected from their actual values. ” The irony is that a generation that is constantly deemed being superficial.
“If you think of the polyester material,” Ekta Bhanushali, mental health professional and relationship coach, explains, “it looks very sophisticated, original and impressive when you wear it. Tanvi Singh, a mental health expert, says, “They’ve grown up with social media where almost everything can be edited and curated to present it in a certain way. Out of all the words Gen Z could have picked, polyester carries a fitting association. The fabric is cheap, synthetic and heavily manufactured, and is often criticised as the world’s most-produced synthetic fibre. Its environmental cost adds to that baggage: polyester is not biodegradable and sheds microplastics. But if you look at the material closely, it’s very cheap. It’s probably why Gen Z picked up this word. With polyester widely used by fashion brands, creators are encouraging followers to reconsider synthetic fabrics in favour of more durable, natural alternatives, promoting sustainable living as well as raising awareness around its environment hazards. The term reflects Gen Z’s growing distrust of anything that feels artificial and its renewed demand for authenticity. There is a natural fatigue that comes with being constantly exposed to such curated content. Gen Z’s idea of authenticity isn’t necessarily about being completely raw or unfiltered all the time. It’s more about alignment. Does what you are saying match what you are doing? She adds, “There is definitely a cultural shift towards wanting more transparency and consistency. Gen Z are much more willing to question overconsumption, unsustainable fashion, performative wellness, hustle culture, carefully curated lifestyles and brands that use the language of social responsibility without necessarily demonstrating it. That is where the polyester slang becomes interesting. The polyester slang is a rather funny, very Gen Z way of saying: we can tell when something is fake, and we’re not necessarily interested in buying into it anymore – Tanvi Singh, a mental health expert Gen Z has a strong authenticity radar. They’re quick to call out anything that is performative, manufactured or driven by vanity but is packaged as authenticity and originality. I think that’s what these slang terms are really capturing: the moment people can see the performance hiding underneath the facade of ‘being real’ – Ekta Bhanushali, mental health professional and relationship coach Looking for trusted parenting advice? Follow TOI Parenting Circle on Instagram for expert guidance, relatable stories, and practical tips delivered every day.