A very plastic problem.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years you will know that we have a worldwide problem with plastic. It is now abundant in nature, flooding once pristine landscapes with thousands of pieces of plastic waste. The ocean will soon contain more plastic than fish and recycling centres are overwhelmed with more plastic than they can process. Many industries are trying to change to reduce their plastic waste.

Fashion however, is an industry with a dirty plastic secret. Nylon, polyester, acrylic, polyamide – materials you are probably wearing right now. How many of them contain plastic? All of them.

In fact approximately 64% of all clothing contains plastic in some form. This may not seem like a huge issue - most of us keep our clothes a long time, much longer than a single use container or straw - so the effect of this isn’t that immediate or visible. In-fact, recycled plastic clothing is even celebrated in the green movement as plastic bottles and other items are recycled into clothing, diverted from landfill. Great right? Yes, and no.

Arguably plastic in clothing has the potential to be part of a closed loop system where old clothes are sent back to the source and recycled into new ones, this is a sustainable solution. But, there is a further issue.

Every time we wash clothes they shed thousands of microfibers that are carried away into the water system. Natural materials such as wool and cotton biodegrade and therefore do not have a lasting impact on the environment, but synthetic materials do not. Instead they remain in the environment eventually making it to the ocean where they leach toxic chemicals and are eaten by fish and other wildlife, causing starvation and eventual death of the animals that consume them. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources estimate that half a million metric tonnes of plastic microfibers – the equivalent of 50 billion plastic water bottles – enter the water system from washing synthetic clothes every year. Research conducted by IUCN revealed textiles account for 35% of all micro plastics found in the ocean. Micro plastics have been found in seafood, drinking water, beer, honey and sugar and table salt. 84% of worldwide (94% of US) drinking water is now thought to contain micro plastics. We’ve all had a taste, and the health consequences are not yet known. Research is being conducted on ways to reduce shedding from synthetic clothing and whilst progress is being made the best way that consumers can help reduce this problem is to avoid purchasing synthetic clothing at all, or for unavoidable items such as swimwear and raincoats- purchase from companies who consider the impact their products have on the environment, and wash these items in a laundry bag in order to capture as many fibres as possible.

Below is a breakdown of most materials that are found in fashion:

Synthetic (plastic-based) fabrics:

- polyester

- nylon

- acrylic

- viscose

- rayon

- fleece

- microfleece

- elastane

-spandex

- acetate

Sustainable fibres that may contribute to microfiber pollution (current research is inconclusive)

- bamboo fibres

- modal

- lyocell

- tencel

- econyl

- any material made from recycled plastic

Natural fibres that will naturally break down:

- cotton - flax - hemp - jute - linen - ramie - sisal - kenaf - alpaca wool - angora wool - wool - cashmere - mohair - silk - camel hair