The following is excerpted from an online article posted by USAToday
That term, “polyester,” is popping up more and more online.
But the phrase’s revamped meaning is a bit more complex. It stems from a negative perception of polyester fabrics that’s been growing for some years, compared to high-blend cotton fabrics.
While polyester originated in the video editing community, the slang has become another way to call something generic or low-quality.
It’s the latest in a zeitgeist of Gen Z slang terms focused on authenticity and quality.There’s larping, the word young people are repurposing from its original Live-action role-playing definition to call out someone they think is inauthentic, and Gen Z insults like “industry plant.”
The rise of terms like “polyester” and “larping” reflects Gen Z’s heightened concern around authenticity, Don Grant, a media psychologist who is the National Adviser of Healthy Device Management for Newport Healthcare, previously told USA TODAY.
“Gen Z is very insecure, cautious,” says Grant. “They grew up with everything online becoming their social currency and the litmus of who they are.”