Microplastics From Our Wardrobes: What You Can Do About It

Fashion

Sep 12

*image by* *Boundliss Media* *for Lyvon*

I remember shopping for clothes with my mother when I was a kid. Back then, we did that perhaps a couple of times a year and it was always almost a whole-day event. And I remember specifically her avoiding some shops, because, as she claimed, they were selling plastic clothes.

I never questioned this but I also never quite understood it either. Certainly, the clothes looked normal to me and seemed to have nothing in common with plastic toys, plates, decorations, and other things we were shopping for too.

Years later, I finally realized that she was right.

Clothes became plastic.

In fact, my wardrobe is full of them and chances are, yours is too.

And the biggest issue with that is that they shred microfibers, which are tiny bits of fibers from synthetic textiles. In other words, our clothes contribute to microplastic pollution. Significantly.

Let’s dive into this.

What are microplastics (and why are they bad)?

Microplastics are tiny, tiny bits of plastics that are less than 5 mm (0.20 in) in length. They usually get detached from bigger pieces of plastics or are a part of ingredients of some common things (like cosmetics or cleaning products). In any case, they end up in nature, usually through our water systems. Because they are so tiny, they pass easily through our common water filters.

The problem is that they don’t biodegrade in nature but bioaccumulate instead. This is why they end up in the stomachs of marine life. The research on the full effects of this is still in its beginning, but some studies demonstrate the toxic effects of microplastics on algae, fish, turtles, and other creatures. One study, for example, shows that the crabs who ingested microfibers ate less and had less energy to grow.

That doesn’t sound good, right?

It’s not only the marine life that suffers. Other animals that eat fishes and others, including humans, ingest the microplastic along. Moreover, because there are now high concentrations of microplastics in the sea, they also end up in our tap water, salt, beer, and-yup-our poop. So, yes, micro plastics already affect humans too.

But, can Microplastics kill you?

Well, we aren’t quite sure yet. However, we know that microplastics can harm and kill small organisms because they attract toxic chemicals. Those chemicals accumulate through the food chain, ending up in the larger being too. And while the scientists aren’t quite yet sure about the impact on humans, some are expressing strong concerns.

Still, what does this all have to do with fashion?

Clothes and microplastics

As I mentioned in the beginning, synthetic clothes shreds microfibers (fibers made from plastic). One study estimates that between 15% to 31% of marine plastic pollution comes from tiny bits of plastics (rather than big pieces). And fashion could be contributing to 35% of the microplastic pollution. Another study says that globally, we release 176,500 metric tons of synthetic microfibers every year.

Therefore, our clothes are a big part of the plastic pollution.

The reason why this happens is largely in our choice of the fibers, the quality of clothes, as well as our way of caring for and wearing them. I’ll break it down.

The most popular fabric in fashion today is polyester, which holds 55% of the share in the global fiber market. Polyester is a fiber derived from coal, air, water, and petroleum. While it wasn’t invented until the 1930s, it really started dominating the fashion scene in the past 30-20 years. Similar materials, like nylon, rayon, acrylic, and spandex (lycra) come from similar components and have gradually replaced many natural materials, like leather and wool. When we wear and wash these materials, they release tiny bits of fibers in the air and water systems.

This brings me to the next point.

All synthetic fibers shred but they don’t shred the same. A lot of synthetic clothes are made poorly, meant not to last. This only increases the shredding, unlike with high-quality made clothes. Moreover, materials like fleece, shreds a lot, while some tightly woven garments may not shred nearly as much. Thus, how we make garments matters. And so does how we take care of them. Turns out that washing clothes at low temperatures and using gentle washing detergents helps them shred fewer microfibers.

But there are other things you can do about this!

Here are some:

Choose to buy high-quality clothes, which will last you longer but will also shred less
When you can, go for natural fabrics instead
Wash on low temperatures (30°C) and wash less
Air dry your clothes, instead of using drying machine
Avoid synthetic washing detergents and softeners that can damage the clothes
If you can, get a microfiber catching tool, like a microfiber bag or a Cora ball
Or, get a special microfiber filter for your washing machine
Support and/or donate to organizations fighting against microplastics pollution. For example, California Product Stewardship Council, Plastic Soup, 5Gyres, and Ocean Conservancy.