It's a Beautiful Sunday Afternoon. You’re excited to start into the day by... Doing your Laundry. 

As if it weren't enough that you're standing there and folding your laundry, instead of sipping a fresh coffee in your favorite coffee shop, your washing machine is secretly conspiring against you. 

How? By releasing tiny, sneaky bits of microplastics into the environment with every cycle. Yep, even your favorite fluffy sweater has a dark side. Once they are released, there is no holding them back from spilling into nature, polluting our oceans, and endangering our own health.

Let’s dive into the murky waters of laundry’s microplastic problem, explore what’s causing it, and—spoiler alert—show you how to prevent it.

Where Do Microplastics Come From?

When it comes to microplastics, we differentiate two categories, primary microplastics and secondary microplastics.

Primary microplastics are directly released as tiny particles, for example when plastic granulate spills from plastic production or when microbeads in cosmetics are flushed down the drain. Primary microplastics make up around 15-31% of the microplastics found in the environment.

Secondary microplastics on the other hand are released from bigger plastic items breaking down. they make up between 69-81% of all microplastics. That's how microfibers from your clothes would be categorized

Microplastics can come from many different sources, but The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) tried to quantify the seven biggest sources of microplastics in the marine environment:

As you can see, textiles are the single biggest contributor of microplastics pollution in the marine environment.

It's not surprising, given the rise of fast fashion and the fact that 70% of fast fashion items are made from synthetic textiles.

Now before you swear off laundry forever (tempting, we know!), let's understand which materials are the biggest troublemakers.

Which Fabrics are the Biggest Culprits?

A single load of laundry can release a whopping 700,000 microfibers into the water. Depending on the composition of your laundry, a large chunk of those microfibers are nothing other than microplastics. 

The materials most responsible for microplastic pollution are:

1. Synthetic clothes: These are the bad boys of the bunch. Polyester, nylon, and acrylic are like the rebellious teens of the fabric world, shedding microplastics left and right
2. Blended Fabrics: Even clothes that are part natural, part synthetic can't escape the microfiber madness. They still contribute to the problem
3. New Clothes: Fresh-off-the-rack items tend to shed more in their first few washes. It's like they're excited to be part of your wardrobe and can't contain themselves

Tips to Tame Microfiber Shedding

Worry not, my my fellow launderer! You don't have to choose between clean clothes and clean oceans. There are a few simple things you can do to limit the eco-impact of your laundry.

1. Fill it up: washing full loads reduces the friction on single items and means fewer fibers break loose.
2. Chill it down: washing at cool temperatures and gentle cycles is gentler on your clothes and the environment. Gentler also means less shedding.
3. Filter it: invest in a microplastic filter that holds those nasty fibers in track and prevents them from leaking into the water.
4. Bag it up: similar to filters, special laundry bags can catch microfibers and lock them in.
5. Detergent choice: choose laundry sheets instead of powder detergent. Again, this reduces the friction and thus reduces microfiber shedding.
6. Wash less often: Obviously, we're not proposing that you walk around in smelly stiff clothes. But being a little conscious around how often you wash clothes like jeans can increase the lifetime of your clothes and save yourself some laundry nerves.

Fabolous Fibers to Choose

There are a few things more things you can consider for an eco-friendly wardrobe and laundry day. Choosing the right materials will make a difference and turn you into a laundry hero in no time.

1. Natural fibers: Starting with the obvious, natural fibers contain no plastic and are biodegradable. If you choose materials like cotton, linen, and wool , you don't need to worry about microfiber shedding.
2. Recycled synthetics: If you prefer synthetics for some clothes, go for recycled synthetics. That way you can give plastics a second life and reduce the environmental impact of your wardrobe.
3. Thrifty threads: Check out thrift shopping. You will be amazed about the gems you can find and as a bonus thrift clothes shed less plastic.
4. Innovative materials: keep an eye out for innovative new materials like bamboo, seaweed fiber, or banana fiber. 

Small Changes Big Impact

The battle against microplastic pollution starts at home, and your laundry habits are a great place to begin. By tweaking the way you wash, investing in filters, and choosing smarter fabrics, you can make a significant difference—for the oceans, marine life, and even future generations.

So the next time you’re folding that laundry, give yourself a little pat on the back. You’re not just keeping your wardrobe clean; you’re helping keep the planet clean, too. And that’s something worth celebrating.

What are you doing to reduce the impact of your laundry? Feel free to comment below.

We hope you enjoyed this article. 

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