Should we be moving away from synthetic clothing?
Microfibers are one of the most widespread contaminants on the planet. They’re found in nearly every environment on earth, including Arctic ice, deep ocean sediments, and even the air we breathe!
These small fibers can be group into 3 categories based on how their made and what materials they are made from:
Synthetics. This includes polyester and spandex! These fibers are made of plastics, which makes them more durable.
Natural. These types of fibers include hemp, wool and cotton and are made from plant or animal-based materials.
Semi-synthetic. This category includes rayon and other fibers that are plant-based, but created in a similar process to synthetic fibers.
One of the most common best practice suggestions you’ll see in the media or promoted by consumer organizations is to replace your synthetic clothing with natural materials or to tag synthetic garments with warning labels. These best practices are not backed by science and as the science on microfibers grows, we’re finding perhaps these may not be the best suggestions and today we’re going to talk about why!
Natural fibers are not that natural...
Natural fibers are made with a variety of chemical additives and dyes that give them the properties we love, like stain-resistance, odor-resistance or fire proofing. In some cases, 100% cotton can contain up to 30% chemicals by weight. Your cotton clothes can also attract chemicals from the environment you’re in, like flame retardants from the phone or computer you’re reading this post from!
You may be thinking ‘So what, plastic fibers contain chemicals too!’ and you’re right. However, these chemicals present in ‘natural’ fibers may affect how long it takes them to break down in the environment. It may also make them more toxic to animals that accidentally ingest them.
In the wash, natural materials (like cotton) can shed more fibers than synthetic textiles. These fibers make their way to the environment and scientists are now finding that these ‘natural’ fibers often outnumber synthetic fibers in environmental samples.
So what’s the solution?
Do we wear plastic clothes or natural? The answer may not be that simple. Both natural and synthetic textiles shed microfibers and ‘natural’ microfibers are not very natural as they can contain chemicals and dyes that may affect their persistence and toxicity.
Microfiber research is new, but scientists are starting to show evidence for other best practices for mitigating microfiber release to the environment. These include:
Wash less often. When possible, treat small stains without fully washing. Washing your garments less often can save energy and water, as well as protect your clothing from wearing out!
Use less water. Research has shown less water means less shedding of microfibers from your clothes in the wash.
Purchase microfiber catching technology. Consider purchasing a washing machine filter, Cora Ball or Guppyfriend bag. All of these devices work to capture fibers in the wash.
Opt for a front-loading washing machine. Front-loaders cause less microfiber shedding than top-loaders.
Wash full loads. Reducing the water-to-fabric ratio in your wash by using less water and washing full loads of laundry can help minimize microfiber release.
Purchase more durable clothing. It turns out how our clothes are constructed plays a big role in how many microfibers they lose. Opt for properties such as longer fiber length, high yarn twist, low yarn count and high fabric density.
And don’t forget to clean your lint traps after every wash and discard lint (mostly composed of microfibers) in the trash can and not down the sink!
Got questions about microfiber pollution? Post your comments and questions on my Ask Me About Microfiber Pollution page!