Plastic & Clothing
It’s no secret that too many of the plastic products we use end up in the ocean. But you might not be aware of one major source of that pollution: our clothes.
New studies indicate that the fibers in our clothes are poisoning our waterways and food chain on a massive scale. Microfibers – tiny threads shed from synthetic fabric – have been found in abundance on shorelines where wastewater is released.
Demand for polyester has grown faster than demand for wool, cotton and other fibers for at least 20 years, according to industry journal Textile World. And, by 2030 synthetics are expected to account for 75 percent of global apparel fiber production, or 107 million tons.
What are synthetic fibers?
To begin with, let’s have a look what are synthetic fibers and how are they made.
Synthetic fibers are man-made textile fibers that some are usually made from natural materials (such as rayon and acetate from cellulose or regenerated protein fibers from zein or casein) as well as fully synthetic fibers (such as nylon or acrylic fibers)
Man-made fully synthetic fibers are produced by reactions of oil-based products that produce polymer pellets (plastic). These pellets are purchased from the pellet manufacturers (such as ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, etc.) by the fiber manufacturer. The polymer pellets are then heated to transform the polymer into a liquid or fluid state.
Some of the most used synthetic fibers are;
Nylon: Nylon clothes and similar products are made from strands of plastic yarn. They are made by melting nylon chips that once liquify, are forced through the fine holes of a nozzle called a spinneret. As the liquid emerges from the holes, it is cooled down so that it solidifies to form tiny threads. These threads are woven together to make fabric.
Rayon: Rayon is one of the most peculiar fabrics in commercial use to date. It is not 100% artificial because it is extracted from naturally occurring cellulose. It is not, however, a natural fabric, because cellulose requires extensive processing to become rayon. It is usually classified as a manufactured fiber and considered a regenerated type of cellulose.
Polyester: There are many variations of polyesters, but the most popular is polyethylene terephthalate or PET. To turn polyester into fibers, the plastic is heated and forced through spinnerets. The fibers are stretched to five times their length, typically combined into yarn, and then knitted or weaved into polyester fabrics. Polyester is one of the most popular types of synthetic fabrics because of its profound durability. It retains its shape, is resistant to most chemicals, rarely suffers from stretching, shrinking and wrinkling, and is mildew and abrasion resistant. It is also hydrophobic in nature which makes it easy to wash and dry.
Spandex: Spandex is a lightweight, synthetic fabric with unique properties that make it suitable for sports apparel. The fabric can expand up to 600% and spring back without losing its integrity. Over time, the fibers do tend to become exhausted due to heavy wear and tear. Unlike many other synthetic fabrics, spandex is a polyurethane, which is responsible for its peculiarly elastic qualities.
Acrylic: Wool is a type of natural fiber resourced from sheep shearings. However, as time progresses, many have been less keen on wearing an animal behind their backs to keep warm. Acrylic, on the other hand, is purely synthetic and closely resembles the characteristics of wool. Acrylic fiber consists of acrylonitrile and a comonomer. The comonomer is added to improve its dyeability and textile processability.
Acetate: Acetate is often a replacement for shiny, soft, and luxurious fabrics. It is commonly used to make drapes, curtains, and other home decor items, along with being used for clothing and furniture linings.
Are our clothes polluting the ocean?
A report from the National Center of Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, California on the Earth Island report, states that every time a synthetic garment — that is, anything made from the synthetic fiber mentioned above– goes through the spin and rinse cycle in a washing machine, it sheds a large number of plastic fibers. In another report, published in Environmental Science & Technology is stating that one single synthetic garment can produce more than 1,900 microfibres per wash.
A single polyester fleece jacket could shed as many as 1,900 of these tiny fibers each time it was washed.
Most washing machines don’t have filters to trap these miniscule microfibers, and neither do sewage plants that are responsible for removing contaminants. So every time the water drains from a washing machine, plastic filaments are swept through the sewers and eventually end up in the ocean.
In a groundbreaking 2011 paper, Mark Browne, a senior research associate at the University of New South Wales, Australia, found that microfibers made up 85% of human-made debris on shorelines around the world.
If you've been following our Ocean Rescue campaign, you'll know that we've been highlighting the impact of plastics on marine life, from bottles to microbeads.
It is well-know that plastic is a toxic material, but is now shown us that it can actually also absorb other toxins, like pesticides or organic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls.
Synthetic fibers have been found in plankton, both in farmed and in wild mussels, in sea salt and even in honey. And a study revealed that microplastic — chiefly microfibers — were present in 159 samples of tap water from around the world, and on few brands of beer. The number of animal species that suffer from plastics that make their way into the environment has gone up to 1220 in 2017, and continues to rise.
Microfibers, used to make things like yoga pants, are the ocean’s tiniest problem.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) now considers micro and nanoplastics as a potential threat to our food safety. Consuming fish and shellfish that contain tiny particles of plastic could possibly lead to health risks.
Every day, billions of sharp, invisible fibers are making their way out to our oceans and air, and into our water, wine, beer, and cells. Read More How much plastic is your washing machine sending out to sea?
Are our clothes polluting the Land?
NPR reports, from the Environmental Protection Agency, that 15.1 million tons of textile waste was generated in 2013, of which 12.8 million tons were discarded.
When natural fibers, like cotton, linen and silk, or semi-synthetic fibers created from plant-based cellulose, like rayon, Tencel and modal, are buried in a landfill, in one sense they act like food waste, producing the potent greenhouse gas methane as they degrade. But unlike organic matter, you can’t compost old clothes, even if they're made of natural materials.
“Natural fibers go through a lot of unnatural processes on their way to becoming clothing,” says Jason Kibbey, CEO of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition. “They’ve been bleached, dyed, printed on, scoured in chemical baths.” Those chemicals can leach from the textiles and—in improperly sealed landfills—into groundwater.
Even if you incinerate clothes since they can release hazardous toxins into the air. What’s more, synthetic fibers, like polyester, nylon and acrylic, have the same environmental drawbacks, and because they are essentially a type of plastic made from petroleum, they will take hundreds of years, if not a thousand, to biodegrade.
Fibers in the air: breathing our clothes?
In a 2016 unique study was released where they measured microfiber residue in the air in Paris. What they found was astonishing. Between 2 to 355 microfibers were counted per day per square metre; in the city center this number was almost double that of suburbs. Of the clothing fibers that were found, 29% consisted partly or fully of plastic. This can have massive consequences for the public health. These microplastics could emit harmful chemicals deep in the lungs and could even be spread through the body through our circulation, which means the micro particles could even reach unborn babies through the placenta.
MICROBEADS, MEGAPROBLEM
If you use beauty products like body scrubs, skin brighteners and whitening toothpastes that contain microbeads, you may be paying a very high price for beauty. In fact, it’s a price we will all end up paying, as these tiny bits of plastic — which are less than five millimetres in diameter –are turning up everywhere, especially in oceans, lakes and along shorelines. Of course, they aren’t biodegradable, and they’re so small, they don’t get filtered out by water purification systems, so you end up drinking them in your tap water, and eating them in fish.
This 2-minute "explainer" shows how tiny plastic microbeads are designed to go down the drain and into our rivers, lakes, and oceans and we can do to stop this ridiculous assault on our public waters.
Solutions
Individuals try to make a difference
Plastic Soup Foundation (PSF) is the communications partner of the Life+ Mermaids consortium. This three-year project saw thorough research performed into fiber loss in washing machines, as well as successful experiments – a world first – with bio-based coatings made from shrimp (chitosan) and plants (pectin), which managed to reduce fiber loss by a spectacular 50%.
During this research project, the Plastic Soup Foundation also actively reached out to other parties aiming to solve this problem. Throughout the world you can find many innovative grassroots attempts to stop fibers from being deposited in the rinse water. In the United States, for example, the Cora Ball is now being produced after a successful crowdfunding campaign. The natural filtration system of coral formed the inspiration for this ball, which filters tiny particles out of the rinse water in the washing machine. Another example is the Guppy Friend, a special bag for in the washing machine created by a group of surfers, skaters and creatives from Berlin. The bag traps microfibers and prevents them from reaching the water supply.
No-water washing machines?
Another solution may lie with waterless washing machines, one of which is being developed by Colorado-based Tersus Solutions. Tersus, with funding from Patagonia, has developed a completely waterless washing machine in which textiles are washed in pressurized carbon dioxide. No more fiber going down the water tube and into the oceans.
Eco-friendly Textiles
When buying clothes, is good to choose clothes made from natural fibers such us cotton, hemp, bamboo and more. Eco and organic fabric biodegrade naturally over time therefore when fiber escape are able to decompose naturally.
What can you do at Home.
Wash synthetic clothes less frequently and for a shorter duration.
Fill up your washing machine. Washing a full load results in less friction between the clothes and fewer fibers released.
Consider switching to a liquid laundry soap. Laundry powder “scrubs” and loosens more microfibers.
Use a colder wash setting. Higher temperature can damage clothes and release more fibers.
Dry spin clothes at low revs. Higher revolutions increase the friction between the clothes.
Consider purchasing a Guppy Friend wash bag. In tests, the bag captured 99 percent of fibers released in the washing process. The bags will soon be available for purchase at Patagonia for $20-30.
You can purchase a washing machine lint filter. These filters require more of an investment, but they will benefit your septic system and the environment. Check out this one or this one.
Lastly, speak up and tell clothing designers to choose natural fabrics that aren’t prone to shedding. Sign the petition here!
What do you do to use less plastic? By tagging us with #theconsciouschallenge you can share your ideas!
Want to contribute to our Ecological Footprint Bible? Submit us your scientific articles! Mail us at info@theconsciouschallenge.org
Sources:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/20/microfibers-plastic-pollution-oceans-patagonia-synthetic-clothes-microbeads
https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/pft/2017/3/2/15-ways-to-stop-microfiber-pollution-now http://www.keycolour.net/blog/need-know-synthetic-fabrics/ https://www.barnhardtcotton.net/blog/know-fibers-cotton-vs-synthetic-fibers/ https://www.plasticsoupfoundation.org/en/2017/06/fibers-from-synthetic-clothing-disastrous-for-mankind-and-the-oceans/
https://eluxemagazine.com/magazine/recycled-plastic-clothing/ https://eluxemagazine.com/video/microbeads-megaproblem-why-microbeads-are-bad-for-you-the-planet/
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https://science.sciencemag.org/content/304/5672/838.full
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es201811s
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