Contrary to polypropylene, polyethylene is made from the ethene rather than propene molecule. The production of ethene starts with the distillation of natural gas and oil. Ethene is the most widely produced petrochemical.

Polyethylene is a thermoplastic polymer created by the polymerization of ethene. The granules are melted by means of extrusion, pressed through a spinneret and turned into filaments. Polyethylene is a monofilament or film, not a multifilament.