Thus far I’ve discussed problems associated with the way we buy clothes and what happens when we’re done with them. But the impact our garments have on the planet goes deeper than consumption and disposal. What if I told you just washing our clothes is killing the planet?
You’ve probably looked at the tag on your clothes and seen words like polyester, acrylic, or nylon. These are all codewords for plastic - and they’re everywhere. About 60% of the clothing we wear is made with synthetic aka plastic fibers. And this isn’t surprising considering synthetics give our clothes the stretch and structure that consumers desire; not to mention they come with a much lower price tag for producers.
This all seems fine and dandy at first glance. But researchers have discovered that every time we launder our synthetic garments, teeny tiny bits of plastic are released into the water supply through our washing machine - eventually landing in the ocean.
These microplastics are problematic for a number of reasons. First, they are so small that our current water processing systems can’t catch them all and hundreds of millions of these fibers end up in our waterways. Estimates vary, but a popular study found that 700,000 microplastics are released in each load of laundry. Times that by all the people worldwide washing their clothes and we’ve got a serious problem.
Microplastics absorb contaminants from the environment and are ingested by marine life and then marine life are ingested by us. That means your next fish dinner comes with a side of poisoned plastic. Yuck!
This whole microfiber thing is a problem in need of a solution. Just what that solution should be is less clear. I will admit this is a rather new concern for me, and I haven’t yet done much to limit the number of microplastics I release through my laundry. I am eager to learn more about this issue and do my part.
There are a couple of different approaches some of which can be practiced by individuals and others that require a more systematic change.
First one can aim to buy more items made from natural fibers like cotton or wool. I personally prefer my jeans to be more stiff and structured so my favorite pair is 100% cotton, and my 100% wool blazers just feel so much warmer and more luxurious than synthetic ones. However, I wouldn’t want to work out in cotton leggings since I prefer the compression from synthetic athletic wear. So some things are easy switches while others are less obvious swaps.
Another idea is to wash clothes less, and consequently, reduce the number of microplastics released withing the garment's lifetime. I recently purchased dry wash spray from the brand Love, Home, And Planet. This spray is meant to freshen your clothes between washes. Think dry shampoo, but for your wardrobe. I’ve enjoyed using this product and it has helped me wash less. However, laundry must be done eventually making the release of those tiny plastics inevitable.
Another bigger change that would help immensely would be to implement a system within washing machines and water treatment facilities to catch microplastics before they reach the ocean. I am no scientist, so this solution will not come from my invention, but I intend to support scientific efforts to make these changes with my vote and my dollar.
Being conscious of how my laundry routine affects our oceans is a new journey for me but I am excited to see where it leads. Will you join me on my quests towards cleaner oceans?
I learned a lot about this issue from this Vox article. I encourage you to check it out if you want to know more about!
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