Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The Effect of the Physical and Chemical Properties of Synthetic Fabrics on the Release of Microplastics during Washing and Drying

Researchers investigated how the physical and chemical properties of synthetic fabrics influence microplastic fiber release during washing and drying, finding that fabric construction, fiber type, and surface treatment are key determinants of the quantity and characteristics of released microplastic particles.

2022 Polymers 26 citations
Article Tier 2

Exploring Microplastic and Natural Fiber Emissions from Fabrics and Textiles

This review examines microplastic and natural fiber emissions released from fabrics and textiles during use and washing, identifying textiles as a major but underappreciated source of microplastic pollution in the environment. The authors assess emission factors and the downstream environmental and health implications of synthetic fiber shedding.

2024
Article Tier 2

Impact of textile composition, structure, and treatment on microplastic release during washing: a review

This review analyzed how textile composition, yarn structure, and fabric treatment affect microplastic release during washing, finding that natural and blended fabrics often shed more microfibers than pure synthetics. Woven fabrics released fewer microplastics than knitted structures, and finishing treatments also influenced shedding rates.

2024 Textile Research Journal 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Study on the Relationship between Textile Microplastics Shedding and Fabric Structure

Researchers investigated the relationship between textile fabric structure and microplastic shedding during washing, finding that fabric type, weave pattern, and mechanical stress significantly influence the number of microfibers released.

2022 Polymers 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Evaluation of microplastic release caused by textile washing processes of synthetic fabrics

This study evaluated microplastic fiber release caused by washing synthetic fabrics, finding that washing processes generate substantial quantities of microfibers and that fabric construction affects release rates, with implications for filtering strategies.

2017 Environmental Pollution 686 citations
Article Tier 2

Assessment of microplastics release from polyester fabrics: The impact of different washing conditions

Researchers assessed microplastic fiber release from polyester and polyamide fabrics during simulated washing, finding that fabric construction, fiber type, and washing conditions all influenced the quantity of fibers released. The study provides data to help quantify the contribution of laundry to microplastic emissions in wastewater.

2020 Environmental Pollution 147 citations
Article Tier 2

Investigation of properties of mineral, chemical and vegetable fibers

This study compared the physical properties of various mineral, chemical, and vegetable fibers including their microplastic shedding characteristics. Understanding fiber properties helps identify which synthetic textile fibers are most likely to shed microplastics during use and washing.

2023 All the materials Encyclopedic Reference Book
Article Tier 2

Do Recycled Cotton or Polyester Fibers Influence the Shedding Propensity of Fabrics during Laundering?

Lab laundering experiments tested whether fabrics made with recycled cotton or polyester shed more or fewer fibers than conventional fabrics during washing. Results showed no significant difference in shedding related to recycled fiber content, suggesting that recycled textiles do not increase microplastic fiber pollution compared to virgin-fiber equivalents.

2020 AATCC Journal of Research 29 citations
Article Tier 2

Laundry Care Regimes: Do the Practices of Keeping Clothes Clean Have Different Environmental Impacts Based on the Fibre Content?

This study examined how different textile fiber contents influence the environmental impacts of clothing care, finding that synthetic fiber garments generate more microplastic shedding during washing while natural fibers have other environmental trade-offs. Laundry care choices and fiber content both affect how much microplastic pollution is released into wastewater from household textile washing.

2020 Sustainability 53 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic Release from Domestic Washing

Researchers measured microfiber release from domestic washing of textile materials across five washing cycles, finding that the amount of microplastic fiber shed varied significantly with washing conditions and fiber type, contributing to aquatic microplastic pollution.

2021 European Journal of Science and Technology 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Fragmented fibre (including microplastic) pollution from textiles

This review examined fragmented fiber pollution from all textile types including natural, regenerated, and synthetic fabrics, finding that all textiles release fibers throughout their lifecycle from manufacturing to washing to disposal, and that natural fiber shedding has been underestimated relative to synthetic fibers in pollution assessments.

2021 Textile Progress 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantifying shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles; a source of microplastics released into the environment

Researchers quantified the shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles during simulated washing, finding that fabric type, age, and wash conditions significantly affected fiber release, and establishing a quantitative basis for estimating textile-derived microplastic inputs.

2017 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 590 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetic Textiles and Microplastics

This review examines how synthetic textiles shed microfibers during washing and drying, covering the mechanisms of release, the environmental fate of microfibers in aquatic systems, and strategies for reducing microplastic pollution from the fashion and textile industry.

2024
Article Tier 2

Differences in the release of microplastic fibers and fibrils from virgin and recycled polyester textiles

Researchers compared microplastic fiber and fibril release from virgin versus mechanically recycled polyester textiles during abrasion testing. They analyzed four pairs of commercially available textiles that were identical except for the type of polyester used. The findings provide important data for understanding whether the growing use of recycled polyester in clothing changes the amount or character of microplastic shedding during wear.

2024 Resources Conservation and Recycling 19 citations
Article Tier 2

Characterization of Microplastics Released Based on Polyester Fabric Construction during Washing and Drying

Researchers characterized microplastic fiber release from polyester fabrics during washing and drying, finding that fabric construction type significantly influences fiber shedding rates, with looser fabric structures releasing substantially more microplastic fibers per wash cycle.

2021 Polymers 31 citations
Article Tier 2

The impacts of synthetic and cellulose-based fibres and their associated dyes on fish hosts and parasite health

Researchers tested the effects of polyester, cotton, and bamboo clothing fibers on freshwater fish and their parasites. The study found that polyester exposure was associated with significantly higher fish mortality, while bamboo fibers appeared to confer some resistance against parasites. Evidence indicates that synthetic microplastic fibers and their associated chemical dyes can be harmful to aquatic organisms, highlighting the need for greater transparency from textile industries about dye composition.

2023 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 12 citations
Article Tier 2

Particle Shedding from Cotton and Cotton-Polyester Fabrics in the Dry State and in Washes

Researchers studied how washing cotton and cotton-polyester fabrics up to 50 times affects how many particles they shed, finding that cotton released significantly more particles than the blended fabric, and that most released particles were smaller than 25 micrometers. Because synthetic polyester fibers in laundry effluent are a recognized source of microplastic pollution in waterways, understanding differences between fabric types helps identify which textiles are higher-risk sources.

2023 Polymers 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Textile Fiber Pollution: Relating Textile Features to Fiber Release in Pilling Experiments

Researchers evaluated how physical, dynamic, and thermomechanical textile properties influence fiber release during pilling experiments, aiming to identify which fabric characteristics predict microplastic fiber shedding during normal garment wear.

2025 ACS Omega
Article Tier 2

Decoding microplastic shedding from cotton/polyester blends: An analysis through fiber identification

Researchers developed a chemical separation method to accurately quantify polyester shedding from cotton/polyester blend fabrics, distinguishing polyester from natural fiber microplastics. Testing various fabric structures showed that polyester staple fibers in blends shed substantially during use, providing more realistic microplastic estimates for everyday clothing and bedding.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in Wastewater by Washing Polyester Fabrics

Researchers investigated microplastic fiber release from polyester fabrics during washing, characterizing the quantity and types of microplastics generated and their potential pathway into wastewater systems as a significant source of environmental microplastic pollution.

2022 Materials 139 citations
Article Tier 2

Textile Fiber Pollution:Relating Textile Featuresto Fiber Release in Pilling Experiments

Researchers evaluated the contribution of physical, dynamic, and thermomechanical textile properties to microfiber release susceptibility in pilling experiments, finding that fiber nature, dimensional features, and mechanical properties collectively determine a textile's propensity to shed microplastic fibers.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Release of synthetic microplastic plastic fibres from domestic washing machines: Effects of fabric type and washing conditions

Researchers measured synthetic microfiber release from domestic washing machines in real household conditions, finding that millions of fibers are shed per wash cycle, with fiber release influenced by fabric type and wash parameters.

2016 Marine Pollution Bulletin 1556 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects and Characterization of Environmental Conditions on Microplastic Fibers Release from Synthetic Textile

Researchers investigated how environmental conditions such as moist heat, high-temperature drying, and abrasion affect the release of microplastic fibers from synthetic textiles. The study found that these aging processes significantly increased fiber shedding, highlighting synthetic clothing as a major ongoing source of microplastic contamination in water environments.

2024 Research Square (Research Square) 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Analysis of Microplastics Released from Plain Woven Classified by Yarn Types during Washing and Drying

Researchers analyzed microplastic release from plain woven fabrics classified by yarn type during washing and drying cycles, finding that yarn composition significantly influenced the quantity and characteristics of shed microplastic fibers. The study aims to identify fabric types that release fewer microplastics to reduce textile-derived microplastic emissions to wastewater.

2021 Polymers 33 citations