Member-only story
Microplastics and plastic microfibres in fashion are causing plastic pollution
The skeleton in the closet is made of plastic.
Why the fashion industry is largely responsible for microplastic pollution. Microplastics are not just fragments from large plastics, in fact, they’re more likely to come from your wardrobe than your last Pepsi bottle.
Globally, we have become increasingly aware that plastic is all around us — even when we don’t see it. From the table salt you used today to the Arctic’s remote sea ice, microplastics have infiltrated practically every part of the world. But unlike the common understanding that they’re all from the single-use bottles and ghost nets (abandoned fishing nets discarded out at sea), they are coming directly from our homes and wardrobes.
Synthetic microfibres make up for around 85% of human-made debris on shorelines. But what are they? How did they get there? And what does it mean for you and your wardrobe? I break down into 5 points about what you need to know about microplastic fibres.
- Definitions
- Why they’re in the environment
- Impact on the environment
