Ongoing microplastic pollution from clothing – a growing problem for people and nature
The importance of the use of synthetic fibres for international fashion companies has been investigated by the Changing Markets Foundation initiative. Its members include the Clean Clothes Campaign, Fashion Revolution, the Plastic Soup Foundation and No Plastic in My Sea. 50 companies with a market value of over one trillion US-Dollars participated in the survey “Fashion’s Plastic Paralysis”.
To begin with, around 60 percent of the companies surveyed provided no or insufficient data on their use of synthetic materials. This undermines the survey’s validity. The companies that provided information showed that many intend to increase their use of synthetic fibres in the future. 43 percent of the participating companies stated that they had increased their use of synthetic materials in the last five years.
Polyester rise driven by fast fashion industry
The Changing Markets Foundation study places the main responsibility for microplastic pollution on the global fast fashion industry. Fast fashion is known to be based on rapid collection changes with the risk of overproduction. Most of the fashion products sold are cheap, and product life cycles are accordingly short.
What are the reasons for the heavy use of man-made fibres in the apparel industry? Polyester is cheaper than natural fibres such as cotton, wool or even silk. The oil-based fibre is consistently available on the market and offers the opportunity to sell inexpensive clothing. It is also driven by design trends, such as special effects and desired fiber properties.
The current market development speaks for itself. The latest data from the Discover Natural Fibre Initiative (DNFI) shows that man-made fibres account for 72.1 percent of global fibre consumption in 2023, with a volume of 81.4 million tons. The share of natural fibres amounts to 27.9 percent with 32.1 million tons. With a volume of 24.6 million tons, cotton has the largest share of natural fibres. Textile Exchange’s ‘Materials Market Report 2024’ also supports this trend. Global polyester production has increased by 23 percent over the last five years. This makes polyester the most widely used fibre in the world.
People and the environment at risk from microplastics
Based on its study ‘The global apparel industry: a significant, yet overlooked source of plastic leakage’, the renowned American research and marketing company Cotton Incorporated estimates that the global apparel industry is responsible for 14 percent of all plastic released into the environment, known as ‘plastic leakage’. This equates to an annual release of around 8.3 million tons of plastic.
The problem: each household wash releases microfibres from textiles and clothing, which eventually enter rivers and oceans through wastewater. As these types of plastic microfibres often take decades to biodegrade in water, they are ingested by marine animals and enter the human food chain. Even when clothing is disposed of in landfills, polyester fabrics do not biodegrade significantly in soil for years.
According to the Changing Markets Foundation, potential contamination of food, water and air can have damaging effects on health. Microplastics are believed to increase health risks such as chronic lung inflammation and cardiovascular diseases where they are already expected to be in air and water.
Natural fibres offer a solution to plastic pollution
Although there is growing public awareness of the negative environmental and health impacts of microplastics and synthetic fibres, changes in consumer demand are not yet statistically detectable.
According to Cotton Incorporated, increasing the use of natural fibres such as cotton is one of the key strategies for reducing plastic pollution in the apparel industry. Cotton offers environmental and health benefits over synthetic fibres such as polyester. As a natural fibre, cotton, which is made up of cellulose, biodegrades quickly and does not leave microplastic particles in the environment. It is also kind to the skin and breathable. Similarly, other natural plant and animal fibres also have positive properties.
Call for regulatory action
The European Union has already taken action to tackle plastic pollution in the textile industry as part of its Green Deal, combined with an EU Strategy for Sustainable & Circular Textiles. But for Changing Markets Foundation, these are insufficient. It argues that existing measures are inadequate, with the fashion industry currently relying mainly on voluntary initiatives. It calls on companies to set and meet specific targets for reducing the use of synthetic materials. In addition, stricter legal regulations are needed. Possible strategies include setting maximum limits for microfibres released during production, use and disposal, and establishing regulations for industrial pre-washing and waste water filtration.
Sources:
Materials Market Report 2024, Textile Exchange
World Natural Fibre Update August 2024, DNFI