The differential scanning calorimeter heating curves of uniaxially oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers with three peaks were analyzed by using a newly proposed equation. The diffusion-controlled crystallization theory is suitable for describing cold crystallization of uniaxially oriented PET fibers. A crystallization model was proposed based on the kinetic parameters obtained. The model embraces the three sub-processes of crystallization corresponding to different growth geometries. The first sub-process corresponds to the nucleation of ordered molecular segments or the radial growth of preformed nucleus, resulting in the shorter bundle-like entities. The second sub-process corresponds to further growth of the bundle-like crystallites along chain direction, resulting in the longer bundle-like entities. The third subprocess corresponds to the three-dimensional growth of crystallites relating to the random segments, resulting in the spherical entities. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.