7 Tips on How to Avoid Microplastics When Washing Your Clothes
How To Lessen Your Microplastics In the Wash
They say there are more microplastics in the ocean than stars in our sky. Today, over 51 trillion microplastic particles are polluting our waterways.
While we can't completely avoid contributing to this number, I have a few tricks I use when washing my synthetic clothing at home.
What Are Microplastics?
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic debris in the environment resulting from the disposal and breakdown of consumer products and industrial waste. Clothing has become a massive culprit in contributing to the problem of microplastics because of the popularity of synthetics. Of course, microplastics can come from all different sources, like cosmetics, car tires, large sheets of plastic debris... the list goes on.
Popular Synthetic Fabrics Your Clothes May Be Made Out Of
Much of your clothing is made up of synthetic fibers. These fibers are essentially made of plastic, and when washed, they can break down to form tiny microfibers which make their way back into the water (& in turn, into the stomachs of animals and even our drinking water). In your clothing tags, you may find these four popular synthetic fabrics: Nylon, Polyester, Spandex, and Acrylic. Since most of us will find these fibers in our closets, we figured this post could be helpful!
Our Top Tips for Reducing Microplastics
Wash on Cold
Heat is not suitable for most fabrics. It can easily damage the threads, which then split and release microfibers.
Fill It Up
Less friction occurs when the entire wash machine is full, so fewer fibers are likely to break off.
Use a Cora Ball or Guppy Bag
This little contraption is just the coolest ever. I got this from EarthHero & I suggest you try one out for yourself. Made from 100% recycled plastic (also recyclable), the Cora Ball traps and secures threads in its "spindles" that can be easily cleaned as microfibers collect. They start to look like lent after several washes. Pull them off and throw them in the trash.
Use Liquid Detergent
Powder detergents act as scrubs and can scrub off fibers.
Hang Dry or Dry on Low
Of course, hang drying would be the best option, but if you live in a small space, that can be difficult to do with every load. Also, the low setting helps lessen the friction between clothes.
Wash Less
This is a no-brainer and maybe too obvious to mention. However, I can quickly throw something in the hamper, which could probably be worn a few more times.
Buy Natural Fibers
Clothing made from natural fibers like cotton, linen, hemp, and wool isn't going to shed microplastics into the wash. So check the content on the tag before purchasing. Your skin prefers these natural guys better, anyway!
You may already do a few of these anyway to prolong your clothing, but I hope you may have learned a couple more tricks!
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