Papers

20 results
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Article Tier 2

From Design Decisions to Sustainable Development: Exploring Textile and Fashion Designers’ Challenges in the Portuguese Textile and Fashion Industry

Despite its title referencing sustainable textile and fashion design, this paper studies the barriers Portuguese fashion designers face when trying to incorporate environmental sustainability into their work — not microplastic pollution. It examines industry challenges like greenwashing, supply chain opacity, and cost pressures and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Sustainability Initiatives in the Fashion Industry

This paper examines sustainability efforts in the fashion industry, where synthetic textiles are a major source of microplastic fiber pollution during washing. It reviews industry initiatives and consumer behavior changes aimed at reducing environmental impacts, including microfiber shedding.

2019 IntechOpen eBooks 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Environmental Pollution by the Fast Fashion: Current Status and Prospects

This review examines the environmental footprint of fast fashion — mass clothing production that generates enormous textile waste, synthetic fiber shedding, and water pollution. It is relevant to microplastics because synthetic garment washing is one of the largest sources of microfiber pollution entering waterways, though the paper focuses on industry-level sustainability responses rather than quantifying microplastic release specifically.

2023 Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers 10 citations
Article Tier 2

A Study on the Awareness and Perception towards Sustainable Fashion

This paper is not directly relevant to microplastics; it surveys university students' awareness and attitudes toward sustainable fashion and the broader environmental impacts of the textile industry, including waste and water contamination.

2023 International Scientific Journal of Engineering and Management 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Tracing Fiber Sustainability

This review examines the sustainability claims surrounding textile fiber production in the fashion industry, addressing widespread consumer misconceptions and greenwashing practices that misrepresent the environmental impact of various fiber types. The authors analyze how misleading environmental labeling — particularly for synthetic fibers that shed microplastic particles during use and washing — obscures genuine sustainability assessments and hinders meaningful industry progress.

2024
Article Tier 2

The International Second-Hand Clothing Trade, Sustainability and the Circular Economy

Despite its title referencing international clothing trade and sustainability, this paper studies global second-hand garment flows between wealthy and low-income countries — not microplastic pollution. It examines trade networks, economic impacts, and circular economy models in the fashion industry and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2025 Preprints.org 1 citations
Article Tier 2

From Simplistic to Systemic Sustainability in the Textile and Fashion Industry

This paper is not about microplastic pollution. It examines sustainability challenges in the textile and fashion industry, arguing that current approaches are simplistic and insufficient. It proposes systemic solutions focused on circular value retention and sufficiency-based consumption to address waste, resource depletion, and pollution from fast fashion.

2023 Circular Economy and Sustainability 15 citations
Article Tier 2

A Review of Sustainability Standards and Ecolabeling in the Textile Industry

This review examines sustainability standards and eco-labels in the textile industry, which is a major source of microplastic pollution through synthetic fiber shedding during manufacturing and washing. The authors found that while many eco-labels exist, they vary widely in rigor and often do not specifically address microplastic release. Stronger and more consistent standards are needed to reduce the textile industry's contribution to microplastic contamination in waterways and the environment.

2023 Sustainability 72 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainable Fashion

This review of sustainable fashion examines how the textile industry's shift to fast fashion has accelerated environmental damage, including the shedding of synthetic microfibres — a major source of microplastic pollution in waterways — and argues that circular production models and consumer behaviour change are needed to reduce the industry's footprint. The paper is relevant because textile microfibres are among the most commonly detected microplastics in marine and freshwater environments.

2026 International Journal for Research in Applied Science and Engineering Technology
Article Tier 2

The Phenomenon of Greenwashing In The Fashion Industry: A Conceptual Framework

This paper develops a conceptual framework for understanding greenwashing in the fashion industry, where brands make misleading environmental claims. The fashion industry is a major source of synthetic microfiber pollution, making honest sustainability reporting especially important for environmental protection.

2023 Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Sustainability Schemes in the Cosmetic Industry: Scope, Credibility, and Value Chain Coverage

Despite its title referencing sustainability schemes in cosmetics, this paper studies the credibility and coverage of 24 eco-certification labels used in the cosmetics industry — not microplastic pollution. It examines gaps in lifecycle coverage and greenwashing risks within certification schemes and is not relevant to microplastics or human health.

2026 Sustainability
Article Tier 2

Slow Fashion in a Fast Fashion World: Promoting Sustainability and Responsibility

This study examines the "slow fashion" movement as a sustainable alternative to fast fashion, analyzing how different business models, consumer behaviors, and policy frameworks can shift clothing production and consumption toward more responsible practices. Slow fashion is directly relevant to reducing textile microfiber pollution, since synthetic clothing is a major source of microplastics in wastewater.

2019 Laws 140 citations
Article Tier 2

Clothing and Textile Sustainability

This review examines sustainability challenges facing the global clothing and textile industry, covering resource use, chemical pollution, and the growing problem of microfiber release from synthetic textiles. Synthetic garments shed millions of microplastic fibers with every wash, making the textile industry a major contributor to global microplastic pollution.

2020 Textile & Leather Review 35 citations
Article Tier 2

SUSTAINABLE FASHION INDUSTRY: Why do we need a switch towards conscious consumption?

This thesis examines the fashion industry's environmental and social harms, including its significant contribution to microplastic pollution through synthetic textile washing, and argues for a shift toward more conscious consumer behavior. Fast fashion is one of the largest sources of synthetic microfibers entering waterways globally.

2019 Theseus (Ammattikorkeakoulujen)
Article Tier 2

Sustainability trends and gaps in the textile, apparel and fashion industries

Researchers conducted a 20-year systematic review of sustainability in the fashion and textile industry, identifying consumer behavior, circular economy practices, and supply chain transparency as the three main research themes. The review highlights that synthetic textile fibers — a major source of microplastic pollution — are embedded in a complex industry that still lacks coherent sustainability standards across its global supply chains.

2023 Environment Development and Sustainability 223 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the ecological impact of textile microfibers: Current knowledge and research challenges

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.

2026 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Addressing the Sustainability Conundrums and Challenges within the Polymer Value Chain

This review critically examines sustainability challenges across the polymer value chain, including misconceptions about biobased and biodegradable plastics. Researchers analyze the emergence of bioplastics, compare plastic products against their alternatives, and assess greenwashing in the fashion industry. The study highlights the growing importance of addressing microplastics contamination and urges the research community to scrutinize superficial sustainability claims.

2023 Sustainability 54 citations
Article Tier 2

The Impact of Fast Fashion on Marine Plastic Pollution

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.

2023 Current World Environment 6 citations
Review Tier 2

Mapping sustainable options in the fashion industry: A systematic literature review and a future research agenda

This systematic review examined 187 studies on sustainable practices in the fashion industry, which is a major contributor to microplastic pollution through synthetic textiles. Researchers classified sustainable solutions across the purchase, use, and disposal phases of clothing and identified key gaps in current knowledge. The study suggests that addressing fashion industry practices is critical for reducing textile-related microplastic contamination in the environment.

2024 Sustainable Development 27 citations
Article Tier 2

The New Sea Food: Fashion, Waste, and Microplastics

This paper explored the intersection of fast fashion, textile waste, and microplastic pollution, examining how synthetic fiber shedding during laundry has made fashion one of the major sources of ocean microplastics. It discussed policy and design interventions to reduce textile microplastic emissions.

2024 Southern cultures 1 citations