TAKE ACTION: PLASTIC FASHION

W A S H . W E A R . R E P E A T . R I G H T ?

Maybe not so much. A recent study found that plastic microfibers in clothing made from synthetic materials are polluting the ocean when they’re washed and dried. Just like microbeads, these fibers are so tiny that they can slip through sewage treatment plants and escape into our waters, where they threaten marine eocsystems and can work their way up the food chain—and onto our plates.

One researcher found microfibers comprised 90% of microplastic samples in a 2014 Atlantic Ocean study. (Microplastics are pieces of plastic that are smaller than five millimeters.) Another study, commissioned by Patagonia, found that

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2 5 0 , 0 0 0 P L A S T I C M I C R O F I B E R S W H E N M A C H I N E W A S H E D .

The truth is: All materials shed fibers. But unlike wool and cotton, plastic microfibers from synthetic materials don't biodegrade. In addition, many microfibers are treated with flame retardants like PCBs, which are endocrine disruptors.

Recently, 5 Gyres convened a group of experts to discuss the problem, covering environmental impacts, leakage points, textile innovation, filtration, and wastewater treatment. They included Catie Tobin, Microplastics Researcher

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organic) cotton, hemp, or wool, you're probably wearing plastic. Yes, we understand that in certain cases—such as

So what is plastic fashion? It’s simple. Take a look at your label: If you're not wearing natural fibers like (preferably

at Clean Ocean Action; Marcus Eriksen, Co-founder and Director of Research at The 5 Gyres Institute; Beth Jensen, Senior Director of Sustainable Business Innovation at the Outdoor Industry Association; Sophie Mather, Material Futurist at biov8tion; Rachel Millar, co-founder of the Rozalia Project; Alexander Nolte and Oliver Spies, co-founders of Guppy Friend; Adam R. Saslow, Senior Facilitator CSRA and Senior Consultant to US EPA’s Trash Free Waters program; and Wendy Barrott, Manager Wastewater at the Great Lakes Water Authority. Watch it here:

Micro&ber Webinar: Exploring Micro&ber P… Watch later Share

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swimwear—synthetic fabrics are pretty much unavoidable. In those cases, we recommend handwashing, and will continue to search for solutions. Meanwhile, you can pledge to go #plasticfree by:

• Refuse to buy Elastane, Polyester, Polyamide, Nylon, Viscose, Lycra, Spandex, and materials made from recycled plastic waste, like PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

• Especially avoid acrylic fabrics, which are particularly harmful and can release as much as 700,000 microfibers during the lifecycle of one item of clothing.

• If you do own synthetic fabrics, wash them less often, choose a delicate cycle, cut down on the amount of laundry soap you use, and opt for liquid rather than granular detergent.

• If you’re buying a new washing machine, choose a front loader—the Patagonia study found it releases less microfibers.

• If you already own a washing machine, consider installing a microfiber filter. It can’t catch everything, but it can help.

• Keep your lint filter clean so that the microfiber particles that it captures end up in the trash, not the air.

T A K E T H E P L E D G E T O D A Y !

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I P L E D G E T O G O # P L A S T I C F R E E

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Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/are-synthetic-fleece-and-other-types-of-clothing-harming-our-water/2016/10/28/eb35f6ac-752e-11e6-be4f-3f42f2e5a49e_story.html https://www.5gyres.org/s/Microfibers-Macro-problems.pdf http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es201811s Bruce, N., Hartline, N., Karba, S., Ruff, B., Sonar, S. Microfiber Pollution and The Apparel Industry. 2016 Rochman, C., Tahir, A., Williams, S., Baxa, D. Lam, R., Miller, J., Teh, F., Wrorilangi, S., Teh, S. Anthropogenic Debirs in Seafood: Plastic Debris and Fibers from Textiles in Fish and Bivalves Sold for Human Consumption. 2015. Talvitie, J., Laurila, J. Synthetic Microfibers and Particles at a Municipal Waste Water Treament Plant. 2014

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pollution through science, education, and adventure. Copyright © 2018 5 Gyres Insitute

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