Wearing Clothes Release More Microfibres Than Washing Them

Wearing Clothes Release More Microfibres Than Washing Them

Wearing Clothes Release More Microfibres Than Washing Them

Previous estimations of microplastic pollution have underestimated the importance of synthetic textiles since they did not take into account the quantities released directly into the air.

The emission of fibres while wearing clothes is likely of a similiar order of magnitude as that from washing them.

Scientists compared different items of polyester clothing and how many fibres were released when they were being worn and washed.

Fabrics_-_University_of_Plymouth.jpg

Image Source: University of Plymouth

 

Up to 4,000 fibres per gram of fabric could be released during a conventional wash, while up to 400 fibres per gram of fabric could be shed by items of clothing during just 20 minutes of activity.

It indicates that a person could release 300 million polyester microfibres per year by washing their clothes, and more than 900 million to the air by wearing them.

The study shows that polyester-cotton blend garments produce more pollution than 100 percent polyester ones. It shows that clothes that are woven more tightly and use tightly-wound yarn can release fewer fibers into both air and water.

 

 

Share this article

Leave your comments

Post comment as a guest

0
terms and condition.
  • Jean Harrison

    I am no longer washing my clothes for more than 20 minutes.

  • Ryan Butler

    Thanks for the info

  • Chris Welsh

    No way ! I'll be more careful while shopping....

Share this article

Susanna Koelblin

Commercialization & Sourcing Leader Focused On Circularity

From blockchain to recycling, Susanna talks about emerging technologies and circularity topics in the fashion industry.

   
Save
Cookies user prefences
We use cookies to ensure you to get the best experience on our website. If you decline the use of cookies, this website may not function as expected.
Accept all
Decline all
Read more
Analytics
Tools used to analyze the data to measure the effectiveness of a website and to understand how it works.
Google Analytics
Accept
Decline