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Fashion to Dysfunction: The Role of Plastic Pollution in Interconnected Systems of the Environment and Human Health
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This review traces how the fast fashion industry contributes to microplastic pollution through the production, laundering, and disposal of synthetic textiles. Researchers found that microplastic fibers released from clothing bypass wastewater treatment and accumulate in human organs including the liver, lungs, and brain. The study highlights urgent gaps in understanding airborne textile microplastic emissions and calls for changes in textile design to reduce fiber release.
The rapid production and disposal of synthetic textiles, driven by fast fashion and overconsumption, contribute significantly to environmental pollution and human health risks. Functional finishes often contain toxic substances that leach into aquatic systems. Laundering and abrasion release microplastic fibers (MPFs), commonly called microplastics, and anthropogenic microfibers (MFs) which degrade into nanoplastics (NPs) through mechanical stress, heat, and UV radiation. These particles bypass wastewater treatment and accumulate in human organs, including the liver, lungs, and brain. This review highlights the limitations of current waste management systems, the role of textile design in particle release, and the need for further research on airborne emissions and environmental interactions. Mitigating textile-derived plastic pollution will require biodegradable finishes, pre-consumer filtration systems, and circular consumption models supported by interdisciplinary collaboration.
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Role of Textile Industries in Microfiber Pollution
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This review examines the role of textile industries in generating microfiber pollution, tracing microfiber release during fabric production, consumer use, laundering, and end-of-life disposal as synthetic textile demand grows with fast fashion. The review documents pathways by which textile microfibers enter freshwater and marine environments and accumulate in aquatic biota, linking industry growth trends to escalating environmental microfiber loads.
A Systematic Literature Review for Addressing Microplastic Fibre Pollution: Urgency and Opportunities
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This review summarizes existing research on microplastic fibers, tiny synthetic threads released mainly from washing clothes and breaking down plastic products. These fibers have been found in water, air, and even human organs, where they can carry absorbed toxins. The authors call for urgent action to manage fiber pollution at its source and reduce human exposure.
04 | Fast fashion and environmental pollution: implications for One Health
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This review of 27 studies finds that our cheap, fast-fashion clothing habit is polluting the planet in ways that could come back to affect us: washing synthetic fabrics sheds tiny plastic fibers that break down into microplastics, which can soak up toxic chemicals like dyes and heavy metals and eventually make their way into our food and water. While more research is needed to fully understand the health risks, the researchers argue that smarter recycling, stricter regulations, and buying fewer, longer-lasting clothes could help reduce this growing environmental and health concern.
The Impact of Fast Fashion on Marine Plastic Pollution
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This paper reviews the fast fashion industry's contribution to waterway pollution, explaining that cheap synthetic clothing sheds microplastic fibers during production and washing, and that the industry's rapid growth — especially in Asia — is making this a significant global pollution source. The authors propose manufacturing regulations and consumer behavior change as solutions to reduce the volume of synthetic microfibers entering waterways.
Unraveling the ecological impact of textile microfibers: Current knowledge and research challenges
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This review examines the ecological impact of textile microfibers, a major subset of microplastic pollution released during laundry and fabric wear. Researchers found significant knowledge gaps regarding how these fibers affect organisms and ecosystems, particularly when interacting with other environmental contaminants. The study calls for more standardized research methods and greater attention to this pervasive but understudied form of microplastic pollution.
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