Europe does more than 35 billion loads of laundry in Europe every year. This is an amazing number. The result is a silent, continuous leak into the water system. Researchers at Northumbria University found that around 13,000 tonnes of microfibers are released every day. Imagine two trucks full of synthetic dust ending up in a river or ocean every 24 hours.
The math is simple, but scary. A 2020 study by PLOS ONE found that 114 milligrams of microfibers are shed per kilogram of clothing during a normal wash cycle. It’s not just about the amount of clothes. It is about how we wash them.
Why are my new clothes dirtier than I expected?
Most people think that buying new clothes is clean. it is not. According to researchers working with Procter & Gamble, new clothes are the worst.
When a new garment is washed for the first time, it releases eight times more microfibers than if it had been worn and washed 48 times. The fabric is stable. Loose fibers fall out. The problem is that new products are often washed several times before the shedding rate decreases.
Small changes can make a big difference
You don’t have to stop doing laundry. You just have to wash more wisely. This way you can significantly reduce the pollution of the machine.
Reduce the heat and shorten the cycles
Heat and agitation are the main enemies. Normal washing can be done at 40°C for 85 minutes. Try changing to 15°C for 30 minutes.
This simple change reduces fiber shedding by 30%. The water is colder. The cycle is shorter. The fibers stay in the fabric longer.
Don’t underload the machine
I think washing each pair of jeans individually is more efficient. It actually makes things worse.
Fill the machine to three quarters. This reduces the ratio of water to clothes. Less water means less room for fibers to separate and wash away. The clothes rub against each other instead of rolling in the excess water. This friction holds the fibers in place.
Keep your clothes longer
The best way to prevent environmental pollution is to shop less. Fast fashion is a major contributor to the microfiber crisis. Every time you buy a new product, you introduce a product into the ecosystem with a high churn rate.
Buying fewer items and keeping them for years can break the cycle. The more an item is used, the faster its shedding rate decreases. After 48 washes, the fiber result of the garment was significantly cleaner.
It doesn’t matter
There is a lot of advice on laundry supplies. You might think that using more detergent will get you a better clean. It does not help with microfibers.
Studies have shown that there is no significant difference in the shedding of fibers depending on the amount of detergent used. Adding fabric softener does not matter. The chemistry of the rinse cycle has nothing to do with the process of mechanical fiber loss.
“No difference was found in the amount of detergent or fabric softener used.”
Important variables are mechanical variables. time. temperature. load size. The age of the fabric.
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Why synthetic materials are flooding the oceans
Not all fibers are created equal. 96% of microfibers in laundry wastewater come from natural resources such as cotton, wool and viscose, and the remaining 4% from synthetic clothing. That small percentage is the real problem. These synthetic fibers are plastic in nature. They are toxic to the marine environment and persist for centuries.
Plymouth University information is clear. When 6 kg of acrylic clothes are washed at 30°C or 40°C, 728,000 microfibers are released into the water. Polyester sheds about 496,000 fibers per load. About 138,000 pieces are also released in cotton and polyester blends. The difference is not subtle. Every time you wash your clothes, tons of plastic particles enter our waterways.
That’s why choosing your clothes is more important than you think. Prefer natural fibers. But it’s more than just a natural fiber. Organic cotton is preferable because traditional cotton cultivation is very polluted and water intensive. Quality is also important. Cheap, inexpensive products shed much more fiber than well-made clothes. You vote with your wallet. Choose durable over disposable. The ocean will thank you.
