Three quarters of the microplastic pollution in the Arctic ocean is made up of polyester fibres from clothing and other textiles, a study has found. Canadian experts sampled seawater from 71 locations, finding that synthetic fibres more broadly make up types 92 per cent of microplastic pollution in the Arctic. Furthermore, sea water in the Arctic … Read more
Microplastic pollution is not just damaging the oceans: Washing clothes releases 175,000 TONS of synthetic fibres on to land every year, study finds US experts analysed the amount of microfibers made and released each year They also considered how fibres are processed at wastewater treatment plants Here, the tiny threads of plastic end up in sludge for … Read more
Microscopic fibres from blue denim jeans have been found in the Arctic for the first time, a new study claims. Scientists discovered indigo denim microfibers in the North American waters, which are shed during laundering, enter waterways and can be ingested by fish. Indigo denim fibres also make up almost a quarter of microfibres in the … Read more
Forensic experts have revealed for the first time that textile fibres can be transferred between clothing in the absence of contact. Under small, compact and semi-enclosed spaces, such as in an elevator, contactless transfer of fibres between garments can be possible through airborne travel. In experiments using florescent clothing fibres and UV light, UK researchers … Read more
Clothing is more prone to shredding microscopic plastic fibres into our waterways if it has been manufactured using scissors, a new study reveals. In experiments, scissor-cut textiles shed up to 31 times more micro-fibres than laser-cut textiles, Swiss researchers found. When clothes are washed, or items are discarded as litter, tiny fibres are released and … Read more