Home › Ask Buckets › Polyester or rayon thread?
Answered by Chris Breazeale, owner of Buckets of Ink, Tempe AZ
For many years rayon was the number one embroidery thread for garments and hats. Its downside is that sunlight fades the colors fairly fast. Rayon is a natural fiber, so it's very soft, but it isn't as strong, which means more thread breaks.
Polyester is man-made. It's much stronger, holds its color through many washes, and isn't affected by the sun. On a Happy embroidery machine, or any other machine, it generally causes fewer thread breaks because of its strength.
When it comes to puff embroidery, rayon's sheen and shine always look better than polyester. Polyester will still sew better and last longer in the long run because of its durability.
Related: Polyester vs rayon embroidery thread (full guide) · Madeira thread · Madeira rayon thread · Rayon → Polyneon chart · Happy Japan machines
