Microplastics from clothing: how to wash smarter
Microplastics is a term that has become familiar in recent years. It describes plastic particles that are smaller than five millimeters. These tiny fibers enter the ecosystem and cause considerable damage there.
Every wash cycle produces microplastics
Microplastics are created in various ways—including during washing. Clothing made from synthetic materials releases microplastics with every wash cycle, and not just a little: a study by the University of Leeds in the UK found that 500,000 to six million microplastic fibers are released from clothing per wash cycle. Synthetic materials are defined as synthetic fibers based on fossil fuels. Particularly popular examples in our clothing are polyester and nylon, both of which are made from petroleum.
The problem is that sewage treatment plant filters cannot capture these tiny pieces, allowing them to enter the wastewater. Plastic waste decomposes very slowly in landfills or in the wild: it is not biodegradable and breaks down into smaller and smaller microplastic particles over hundreds of years.
Microplastics harm the environment and humans
They are widespread across our planet. Researchers have found microplastic particles even in remote areas such as Antarctica and even in the placentas of pregnant women. This shows that microplastics not only pose a real threat to nature, but that the fibers also accumulate in our bodies.
When microplastic particles enter the sea via rivers and lakes, pollutants are deposited on them. Marine life ingests the particles, which damages their digestive systems. This creates a negative spiral that affects the entire ecosystem. We also eat fish that is contaminated with microplastics. The consequences this has for humans and their health are not yet fully understood.
Four tips for reducing microplastics when washing
If you follow a few tips when washing, you can minimize microplastics. This is not a complete solution to the problem, but every reduction helps.
1. Air out synthetic clothing
Every time you skip a wash cycle, you save water and electricity, and you also reduce the number of microplastic fibers that come off your clothes. That's why shirts, sweaters, and pants made of synthetic fibers such as polyester or nylon should not be thrown straight into the washing machine, but hung up and aired out. (More tips on sustainable washing/link)
2. One less shirt
Our closets are overflowing with clothes that we hardly ever wear. It is synthetic fibers that have made cheap mass production and thus our overconsumption possible in the first place. Sustainable clothing is clothing that we wear for a long time. But if you really need a new item of clothing, it's better to choose biodegradable natural fibers—preferably from organic cultivation.
3. Washo instead of detergent with microplastics
Many conventional detergents also contain microplastics, which negates any efforts we make. At Washo, we therefore rely on a formula that does not contain microplastics: for your sake, for nature's sake
, and for the animals' sake!
4. Fighting microplastics with innovation
There are now filters for washing machines that trap some of the microplastic fibers. Another option is to use laundry bags: the laundry is placed in the bag and washed in it; similar to washing machine filters, the bag retains some of the particles. The collected microplastics are then disposed of with the household waste.
