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Influence of Sewing on Microplastic Release from Textiles During Washing
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Sewing thread and edge effects during textile manufacturing are a dominant factor in microplastic fiber release during washing, accounting for a 43% difference between otherwise similar polyester fabrics. This finding redirects attention from wash conditions to garment construction as a key lever for reducing the estimated 35% of primary ocean microplastics that originate from synthetic textile washing.
In recent years, an increasing number of microplastics (plastic particles with dimensions of less than 5 mm, including micrometric and sub-micrometric particles) have been found in each section of the marine water column and a large proportion of them may come from washing effluents of synthetic clothes. Synthetic fibres account for approximately 60% of the total global fibre production, and polyester (PET) and polyamide (PA) prevail. During a wash, many parameters can influence microplastic release, e.g. temperature, time, detergent, spin speed and washing process. The novelty of the present study is to evaluate different textile parameters and/or the manufacturing of fabrics, which most influences the release of microplastics. The tests were carried out on two 100% polyester fabrics during washing in the same operative conditions. The results obtained show a significant difference of 43% between PET samples in terms of microplastic release mainly due to sewing thread and edge effect that largely mask the contribution of any other textile parameters like textile geometry and pilling tendency. These data might shed new light on the importance of the seams, which can improve product quality in terms of microplastic release.
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The MERMAIDS project confirmed that laundry wastewater is a significant vector for synthetic microplastic fibers entering the marine environment, with fiber shedding rates varying by fabric type and washing conditions. Identifying which textile auxiliaries and washing parameters minimize fiber release is a critical step toward reducing this diffuse pollution source.
Textile Recycling and Microplastics
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This review paper looks at how the fast fashion industry creates mountains of textile waste, and how even our attempts to recycle old clothes can accidentally release tiny plastic fragments called microplastics into the environment. Since microplastics can end up in our water, food, and even our bodies, this matters, it means the recycling solutions we're counting on need better technology and stricter rules to actually solve the problem instead of creating a new one.
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