As much as 35 per cent of microplastics in the marine environment are fibres from synthetic clothing, an amount that continues to increase. But by contrast, natural fibres such as wool readily biodegrade, offering a less impactful solution.
Microplastic particles, including microfibres from synthetic clothing and textiles, are now ubiquitous in aquatic and land-based ecosystems across the world. In fact, it is estimated that 0.6-1.7 million tons of microfibres are released into the ocean every year, with new research by the University of Manchester, recently published in Nature Geoscience, finding the number of microplastic pieces in the world’s waterways is vastly greater than originally thought.
Furthermore, fibre-shaped microplastics appear to be of greater environmental consequence than more regular shaped particles due to a tendency for entanglement in the digestive tract that can lead to blockages and a higher chance of compromised growth, reproduction or even starvation.
“An effective strategy for consumers to reduce their contribution to microfibre pollution would be to choose garments made from natural fibres which are biodegradable and do not contribute to the build-up of microplastics in the environment,” Dr Henry said of the review. “The positive attributes of wool in terms of durability, recyclability and low impact care are consistent with strategies to minimise shedding of microfibres to the environment.
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