If someone asked you to think about where microplastics build up or come from, your mind would probably go to the obvious: plastic bottles, takeout containers, and food packaging.
How long would it take you to get to what you're wearing and what is in your closet?
Surprising as it may be, CBS Detroit reports that synthetic clothing is a major culprit in shedding microplastics.
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What's happening?
Gillian Miller of the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, is sounding the alarm about cheaply made and synthetic clothing as an overlooked contributor to our microplastics problem.
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Synthetic clothing made of polyester and plastic is "particularly bad at shedding microplastics," Miller told CBS Detroit. This means when consumers launder these clothes, they are releasing microplastics that will go to landfills and waterways.
Kaylan Mitchell, co-owner of The Getup Vintage, noted that "the fast-fashion industry is the world's No. 1 polluter behind oil." Mitchell specifically called out fast fashion retailers such as Forever 21 and H&M, saying of their clothing, "You touch it, and it feels like plastic because it is."
Making matters worse is that cheap clothing is tempting to discard into methane-producing landfills after limited use. Once there, the microplastics could take over a century to break down.
Why is fast fashion's use of plastic important?
The more we learn about the increasing spread of microplastics, the more reasons for concern. Researchers are discovering these pollutants everywhere, including in our blood and reproductive organs.
Dementia, cancer, and fertility issues are just some of the ailments linked to them.
Exposure to microplastics isn't uncommon either, with research from the University of Newcastle in Australia indicating we are consuming about a credit card's worth of them weekly.
Clothing isn't something many people identify with microplastics, as Miller notes, which could lower the guard of consumers. As such, it's doubtful they weigh the consequences for the planet of washing their clothes or getting rid of cheap clothing.
Not knowing about it, though, won't stop the microplastics from polluting the planet and ending up in our bodies and those of animals.
What can I do to reduce the release of microplastics from my clothes?
Changing our behaviors around our clothes can make a major difference, Miller says.
A couple ways to do that is to keep clothes longer (by mending, for example) and to wash certain items, including jeans, only when they need it. Another economical option is buying pre-owned clothing rather than fast-fashion products that typically rely on synthetics.
Miller suggests consumers can also prioritize quality over quantity by buying organic and natural materials.
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