Papers

61,005 results
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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

Fibras Têxteis Sintéticas E a Liberação De Microplásticos: Uma Revisão

This review synthesizes published research on the release of microplastic fibers from synthetic textiles during domestic laundering, examining the mechanisms, quantities, and environmental fate of fiber shedding into waterways and the resulting risks to aquatic ecosystems and human health.

2022 MIX Sustentável 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Marine environment microfiber contamination: Global patterns and the diversity of microparticle origins

Researchers collected 1,393 one-liter water grab samples globally and found a mean microparticle concentration of 11.8 particles per liter — roughly 1,000 times higher than model predictions — with 91% being microfibers, 57% synthetic, and highest densities in polar oceans, while also documenting underreported non-synthetic and semi-synthetic fibers from natural textile sources.

2018 Environmental Pollution 482 citations
Review Tier 2

Microplastic pollution from textiles: A literature review

This review examines the current state of knowledge on microplastic pollution, focusing specifically on synthetic microfibre shedding from textiles during washing and the significance of this source for marine and freshwater contamination.

2018 Duo Research Archive (University of Oslo) 23 citations
Article Tier 2

Synthetic fibers as microplastics in the marine environment: A review from textile perspective with a focus on domestic washings

This review examined synthetic fibers as a source of microplastics in the marine environment, tracing the full textile lifecycle from manufacturing through use and disposal to understand where and how fibers enter aquatic systems.

2017 The Science of The Total Environment 742 citations
Article Tier 2

Textile microfibers reaching aquatic environments: A new estimation approach

Researchers developed a new estimation approach for quantifying the mass flow of textile microfibers from household laundry that ultimately reaches aquatic environments, addressing the absence of accurate models for assessing microfiber contributions to microplastic pollution. The method provides a more systematic framework for estimating the environmental load from domestic washing.

2020 Environmental Pollution 89 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

Microfibre and nanofibre: pollution and environmental impacts

This review examines microfibres and nanofibres — shed from clothing and textiles during use and washing — as a significant but poorly quantified category of environmental pollutants. Up to 4.28 million metric tonnes of microfibres enter the environment each year, with synthetic garment laundering responsible for about 35% of that total, yet natural fibre shedding is largely ignored in sustainability assessments. The authors argue that both synthetic and natural microfibres need to be included in environmental impact frameworks, especially as fast fashion drives ever-increasing textile production.

2025 Procedia CIRP 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastic pollution in aquatic environments from washing synthetic textiles

Washing synthetic textiles releases microplastic fibers into wastewater, and this study reviewed the scale of the problem and explored strategies to reduce emissions at the washing machine, garment design, and wastewater treatment levels. Textile laundering is considered one of the largest sources of microplastic fiber pollution reaching aquatic environments.

2021 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Anthropogenic fibers in the Mediterranean sea: Methods and monitoring of an overlooked category of microparticles in the water column.

Researchers evaluated methods for monitoring anthropogenic fibers, including synthetic and natural types, in the Mediterranean Sea water column, comparing two sampling approaches and highlighting that current methods are underdeveloped for capturing this overlooked category of microparticles.

2025 Marine environmental research
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

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

Preparation and Analysis of Standard Microplastics

Researchers prepared and characterized standard microplastic samples from synthetic textiles, finding that microfilaments shed by fabrics are the dominant form and proposing methods for creating consistent reference materials for environmental monitoring studies.

2022 Environmental sciences 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Microfibers in oceanic surface waters: A global characterization

A global analysis of 916 seawater samples from six ocean basins characterized microfibers as ubiquitous contaminants, finding that many are not synthetic textiles but natural or semi-synthetic materials, questioning the assumption that all environmental fibers are microplastic.

2020 Science Advances 481 citations
Article Tier 2

The contribution of washing processes of synthetic clothes to microplastic pollution

Real-scale wash trials of synthetic commercial garments measured microfiber release per wash, finding that release varied significantly with textile type, structure, and age, with some items releasing over 700,000 fibers per wash. The study quantifies the contribution of synthetic textile washing to microplastic pollution and identifies fiber characteristics that govern release rates.

2019 Scientific Reports 752 citations
Article Tier 2

Microfibers from synthetic textiles as a major source of microplastics in the environment: A review

This review examines how synthetic textile garments release thousands of microplastic fibers during each wash cycle, making laundry a major source of microplastic pollution. Even though wastewater treatment plants capture most fibers, billions still escape into waterways each day because the incoming volume is so enormous. These fibers end up in rivers, oceans, and soil, where they can be consumed by aquatic life and eventually reach humans through the food chain.

2021 Textile Research Journal 347 citations
Article Tier 2

Fibras Sintéticas como um tipo de microplástico: caminhos para o setor têxtil atuar no combate ao lixo no mar

This Brazilian doctoral thesis examines synthetic fiber release from textile laundering as a major source of microplastic pollution in waterways and the ocean. The work reviews textile parameters affecting fiber release and analyzes certification and regulatory strategies that the textile sector could adopt to reduce marine fiber litter.

2023
Article Tier 2

Fibrous microplastics in the environment: Sources, occurrence, impacts, and mitigation strategies

This review provides a comprehensive look at fibrous microplastics, which can make up over 90 percent of microplastics found in some environmental samples. Researchers traced these fibers primarily to synthetic textiles, with laundering being a major release pathway, and documented their presence in water, soil, air, and living organisms. The study emphasizes that fiber-shaped microplastics deserve special attention due to their prevalence and unique potential to cause harm.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

The fiber microparticle pipeline in the marine water column – from source to mitigation strategies

This review examines the sources, environmental transport, and health implications of microfibers — including synthetic fibers from textiles and natural fibers — in the marine water column. With global fiber production exceeding 100 million metric tons annually, synthetic microfibers are one of the most abundant forms of microplastic in the ocean.

2021 Environmental Advances 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Quantification and morphological characterization of microfibers emitted from textile washing

Textile microfibers released during washing machine cycles were quantified and characterized, with the study finding that fiber type, fabric construction, and wash conditions all influenced emission quantities. The results confirm textile washing as a significant and ongoing source of microplastic fiber pollution in wastewater.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 49 citations
Article Tier 2

Review of research on migration, distribution, biological effects, and analytical methods of microfibers in the environment

This review examined the environmental distribution, transport pathways, biological effects, and analytical detection methods for microfibers as the most abundant microplastic form in the environment. Microfibers were found in marine, freshwater, atmospheric, and soil environments globally, and laundry effluent and textile industry wastewater were identified as the dominant emission sources.

2022 The Science of The Total Environment 68 citations
Article Tier 2

Underestimationof Regenerated Cellulosic Microfibersin the Environment: Errors Introduced by Using Extraction Methodsfor Microplastics

Researchers found that regenerated cellulosic microfibers—semi-synthetic particles from fabrics like viscose and lyocell—are systematically underestimated in environmental monitoring because existing identification methods misclassify them, meaning the true scale of environmental contamination by these fibers is likely much larger than reported.

2025 Figshare
Article Tier 2

Microfibres from apparel and home textiles: Prospects for including microplastics in environmental sustainability assessment

This review examines how synthetic textiles release plastic microfibers during production, use, and laundering, making them a major source of microplastic pollution. Researchers found that textile microfibers may account for up to 35% of primary microplastics entering marine environments and can persist for decades in soils. The study discusses factors affecting fiber release from fabrics and calls for better assessment methods to understand the environmental and potential health risks of this widespread contamination.

2018 The Science of The Total Environment 613 citations
Article Tier 2

Are We Underestimating Microplastic Contamination in Aquatic Environments?

This review argues that current microplastic monitoring methods likely underestimate the true extent of contamination in aquatic environments, especially for small particles and fibers. The authors call for standardized, more sensitive detection methods to better inform regulation and risk assessment.

2017 Environmental Management 277 citations