Microfibre
Recent studies indicate polymer fabrics used to make our sportswear and other items of clothes shed microfibres that could be poisonous to fish and seabirds. Specifically, synthetic microfibres are dangerous as they have the potential to poison the food chain.
Microfibres are small particles that are shed from clothes made from synthetic fibres when washed. To the naked eye microfibres are almost impossible to see unlike other plastics. However, when ingested by fish and seabirds can be deadly. The tiny pieces of plastic make animals feel full which later leads to death from starvation.
Director of the Plastic Soup Foundation, Maria Westerbos, said “So far we have hardly seen any effort from the clothing industry to tackle the problem at the source.”
One company that is actively doing its part is Grn which is one of the few sustainable and environmentally sound performance sportswear companies in the UK. Its products are made from recycled plastics such as plastic bottles, fishing nets and carpets. The usage of such materials significantly reduces energy and water consumption in comparison to polymer fabrics.
Even though some of our clothing could be liable to shed microfibres when we launder them, we can all take steps to minimise the huge impact this tiny plastic is having on our waterways.
Quality over quantity
The overall price of your clothes can have a major contributing factor to the contamination of marine life. It has been shown that cheap clothing often derived from cheap labour is shown to shed larger amounts of microfibres. Therefore, buy well which enables you to buy less.
Don’t be afraid to scrimp on the washing
Washing less often and at a lower temperature not only sheds less fibre but also reduces energy and water consumption.
Front-load
By using a front-loading washing machine your clothes will shed approximately 5 times less than if you were to use a top-loading machine.
Bag it
When washing your clothes use a laundry bag. For example, Guppy Friend. By using a Guppy Friend washing bag, microfibers that break during washing are captured before entering our oceans. Another benefit is its soft surface which means fewer bits of fibre are lost which helps your clothes last longer.
Repair instead of Replace
The reduction of consumption is the most sustainable step we can take. By repairing minor damages to our clothes instead of throwing them out will not only shed less fibre into our marine life but also reduce our own costs.