What are microplastics?
Did you know that there are plastics in your clothes? These plastics can come off your clothes when you wash them and contaminate the aquatic environment. Below are some tips on how to spot them and reduce the amount of plastic in the water.
What are microplastics?
Most clothing is made up in part of synthetic fibers, i.e. plastic. Synthetic fibers are nylon, acrylic, spandex and polyester. We find synthetic fibers in all kinds of clothing, sweaters, jeans, sportswear, leggings, pantyhose, etc. When we wash our clothes, tiny particles of plastic, called microplastic, break off and mix with the water. This water, filled with small plastic particles, passes through the city’s aqueducts and ends up in lakes and oceans. Microplastics are so small that aquatic animals unknowingly eat them, which is bad for their health and for the ecosystems where they live.
How can we reduce the amount of microplastics we produce?
There are several things we can do to reduce the amount of microplastics that end up in our water system.
1 – Wash our clothes less often
We tend to wear our clothes only once before washing them. Try wearing your clothes several times before washing them.
2 – Wear used clothing
New clothes shed more microplastics. Used clothes have already lost much of their microplastics. Buying clothes at thrift stores, or sharing clothes with other family members or friends helps to reduce the amount of plastic in the oceans. When you donate clothes that are in good condition to the Super Recyclers you ensure that the clothes do not end up in a landfill and that when they are washed by their new owners, they will lose less microplastics.
3 – Use a GUPPYFRIEND bag
The GUPPYFRIEND is a laundry bag designed to prevent microfibers from mixing with the water in the washer. This bag is made of a filter that lets the water and soap through, but not the microplastics. So when you want to do a load, just put your clothes inside the bag. At the end of the wash you will find fibers and microplastics in the bag, take them out and throw them in the trash. This is better than letting them damage marine ecosystems.
4 – Pay attention to what your clothes are made of.
On every garment, there is a label that indicates what your garment is made of. It might say, for example, 50% cotton-50% polyester. A more direct way to avoid microplastics in clothing is to avoid buying garments that contain synthetic fibers. That is, it is best to buy clothes made of 100% natural fibers, such as cotton, linen, hemp, genuine leather, silk and wool.
Plastics are everywhere now, even in our clothes. These plastics that we wash are collected in aquatic environments. They are harmful to animals and the environment.
Since it is difficult to avoid plastics in our wardrobe, it is important to take action to reduce their harmful impacts. Our list gives some examples of actions to reduce the amount of plastic. You are invited to try some of them, and remember that every action counts.
Are you proud of your journey towards ecoresponsibility? Tag us, the Super Recyclers on Facebook, we love to read positive testimonials from people who are doing their part for the planet!