Microplastics news and archive

US Government launches programme to combat microplastics in the human body

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a federal government department focused on protecting the health of Americans and providing essential human services, has launched a 144 million US dollar programme to investigate how microplastics build up within the human body and look for ways to protect people against their...

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Fashion for Good and leading brands to tackle microfibre pollution caused by fibre fragmentation

Fibre fragmentation is the breakdown of textile fibres into smaller parts, for example when washing or wearing clothes but also during the dyeing process. Particularly harmful is the release of tiny pieces of synthetic fibres, namely microplastics. They can accumulate in the ecosystem and pollute it and waterways, harm aquatic life by entering...

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How (not) sustainable is the fashion industry?

Fashion and 'sustainability' don't actually go together. A garment is usually made in such a way that it quickly goes out of fashion. In the fashion industry there is not only stylistic obsolescence, but also technical obsolescence. Some clothing is of such low quality that it tears, pills or loses its colour after a few wears and washes. Ideal...

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Champion unveils new collection to help reduce microplastic pollution

Champion Athleticwear has unveiled a new collection of joggers and crewnecks, made with CiCLO technology in a bid to reduce the presence of microplastics in the environment. Kicking off the sportswear brand's "Eco Future" project, a product segment that seeks to prioritizes environmental and community impact, the collection is made from Eco...

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What the fashion industry has to do with microplastics pollution (and everything you need to know about EU initiatives to tackle microplastics)

The European Commission has microplastics on its agenda. But what initiatives are there to tackle the release of microplastics and what measures are being put in place to reduce the impact of microplastics on the environment? FashionUnited lists them. As always, we start at the beginning: with what microplastics are, why there are concerns about...

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Inditex and Jeanologia develop Air Fiber Washer to reduce microfibre shedding

Spanish fashion retailer Inditex and Spanish finishing specialist for sustainable clothing Jeanologia have developed the first industrial air system designed to extract microfibers during garment manufacturing and thus reduce subsequent shedding in domestic laundering. Called the ‘Air Fiber Washer,’ the new system extracts up to 60 percent of...

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European Commission urged to deal with microplastics from synthetic textiles

The EU is being urged to tackle microplastics as part of its strategy for a Circular Economy Action Plan, which was published in March 2022. Members of the European Commission have been given a whitepaper authored by a group of NGO’s, scientists, and solution providers, which calls to action for the EU to mandate filters in washing machines as...

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Patagonia and Samsung developed a washing machine that reduces microplastics

Patagonia and Samsung have partnered to combat the microplastics that result from textiles and laundry. Microplastics as a result of clothes washing has to date not received the same awareness campaign compared to other sustainability efforts, such as water-saving technologies. When synthetic textiles are washed, microplastics from garments...

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Fashion’s big challenge - White Paper analyses the impact of microplastics shedding from domestic laundry

We have all seen the images of plastic waste such as carrier bags and drinks bottles polluting our oceans, but it is less well known that another, major source of this pollution is the clothing we wear. Around 60 per cent of the materials that are used to make clothes are made from man-made fibres such as polyester, acrylic and nylon, which are...

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Blocking the escape of microfibres

Microplastics have become a huge social problem. Particles that are invisible to the human eye are now present in abundance in the world’s oceans. Textiles and clothing made from synthetic fibre are among the major causes of environmental pollution. They release microfibres during wet processing at the manufacturing stage, in use and when...

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Greenpeace expedition finds microplastics in remote Antarctic waters

Water and snow samples collected in a recent Greenpeace expedition to the Antarctic have revealed the presence of microplastics and persistent chemicals. Their findings confirm that plastic can be found even in the most remote areas of the planet. The extensive use of polyester in the fashion industry is partially to blame for the problem:...

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Good on You, Flocus & Planet Care: 3 Sustainable startups reshaping the fashion industry

The fashion industry needs a diverse range of sustainable solutions to tackle the numerous issues it faces concerning environmental damage, human rights and shifting to a circular business model. This is where the Fashion for Good-Plug and Play Accelerator Programme comes in. The accelerator programme provides mentoring and support for selected...