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โ๏ธ MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen, diet, or supplement use, especially if you have existing medical conditions or take medications. The information presented here should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Most people associate microplastics with food, water, or plastic packaging, but clothing is one of the most consistent and closest sources of microplastic exposure. Synthetic textiles, like polyester, nylon, and others, shed microscopic plastic fibers constantly, including during wear, washing, drying, and disposal. Because these microplastic fibers are lightweight, chemically complex, and persistent, they move easily between indoor air, wastewater, soil, and ultimately our bodies. If you want to track your estimated daily microplastic intake, check out our app here. All the data is supported by peer-reviewed, scientific literature.ย
Modern clothing relies on synthetic polymers such as polyester, nylon, acrylic, and elastane. Seriously. Next time you pull a piece of clothing from your drawer or closet, look at the tag and read the material list. Itโs most likely made of plastic. These plastic materials are used because of their durability and flexibility, but these properties make them prone to gradual breakdown into fibrous microplastics and nanoplastics. And, unfortunately, scientists have found that textile-derived fibers have high aspect ratios that increase their ability to remain airborne and penetrate biological tissues [15].
Most modern clothing is made of polyester. Polyester accounts for a substantial fraction of global fiber production, and its chemical structure allows repeated breaks to occur. As polyester garments age, these fractures accumulate, increasing the rate at which fibers detach during routine use and laundering [1].
The largest single release of microplastics from clothing occurs when weโre doing the laundry. The actual mechanical agitation of the clothing, the water volume, the temperature, and the detergent chemistry combine to weaken these fibers and remove them from the larger structure of the clothing. Controlled experiments show that a single wash of a typical synthetic load can release hundreds of thousands of microplastic fibers into wastewater [15].
Drying the clothing makes this process even worse by loosening fibers that were partially detached during washing. To make matters worse, tumble dryers, which most Americans use, also release fibers directly into indoor air, increasing inhalation exposure while priming the clothing to shed even more during future washes [3].
The design of the washing machine plays a critical role in the creation of microplastic fibers. Top-loading washers generate higher mechanical stress on the clothing, while front-loading machines rely on gentler tumbling that reduces abrasion [15]. So, if youโre using a top-loading washer, youโre likely damaging your clothes more and creating more microplastic fibers. Additionally, higher water-to-fabric ratios allows for greater fabric movement, which increases the forces acting on individual fibers, creating more microplastics. So, if you use a high soil level, or wash with fewer clothes, youโre more likely to create microplastics.ย
The wash temperature and the detergent chemistry also influence degradation of clothing and consequent microplastic particle creation. Warmer temperatures promote hydrolysis in polymers, such as polyethylene terephthalate, while alkaline detergents weaken surface bonds and reduce frictional resistance, making fibers come off of the clothingโs โskeletalโ structure [2].
Knitted textiles shed much more fibers than woven fabrics because their looser structure exposes more filaments to different stresses. Also, many fabrics have coatings added to them, which can influence their durability. For example, coatings used to improve softness, water resistance, or durability can also fragment independently, releasing nanoplastics into the environment [3].
Additionally, natural fibers like cotton can shed at greater absolute numbers than synthetic fibers, but synthetic fibers break down much slower and can carry plastic-specific chemical additives. Their inability to break down is why synthetic microfibers, like polyester, contaminate indoor air [7].
As mentioned above, many synthetic fibers contain additives. During manufacturing, additives are incorporated into the fibers to improve performance. These include plasticizers, flame retardants, UV stabilizers, antimicrobial agents, and water-repellent compounds. You may see these additives in clothing marketed as stain-resistant, stretchy, UV-blocking, or sweat-resistant clothing. Unfortunately for us, many of these substances act as endocrine disruptors or exhibit reproductive, developmental, or carcinogenic toxicity [4].ย
Because these additives arenโt covalently bound to the plastic polymers that comprise synthetic textiles, they can leave the fibers after theyโre inhaled or consumed. Because of this, microplastics can function as chemical delivery systems [5].ย
While our public wastewater treatment plants remove a large fraction of microfibers, they still allow billions of fibers to pass into aquatic systems each day [7]. Captured fibers accumulate in sewage sludge. Most people don’t know that this very same sewage sludge is frequently applied to agricultural land as fertilizer, transferring synthetic microplastics, and other pollutants, directly into the soil that grows our very own food [8]. Even organic foods.ย
Indoors, synthetic textiles are a dominant source of airborne microplastics. Fiber shedding from clothing, carpets, and upholstery leads to higher indoor deposition rates than outdoor environments, increasing chronic inhalation exposure in homes and workplaces [9]. Most peopleโs couches, carpet, curtains, blankets, and clothing are made of plastics and release microplastics.ย
Inhaled microplastic fibers pose unique respiratory risks due to their shape, size, and inability to degrade. Scientists have known that occupational exposure to nylon and polyester fibers is associated with interstitial lung disease and impaired airway repair mechanisms [10][11][12]. Once inhaled, fibers can induce inflammation, oxidative stress, and altered immune signaling.
At the cellular level, polyamide microplastics and their associated chemicals have been shown to trigger genotoxic stress responses (DNA damage) and endocrine-disrupting effects in our immune cells. These fibers can also act as vectors for pathogenic microorganisms by supporting complex microbial communities on their surfaces [13][14].
Although our clothing is a major source of microplastic contamination, there are steps that we can take to reduce their release. For example, external washing machine filters capture a substantial proportion of fibers before they enter wastewater, with some systems retaining more than three quarters of emitted microplastics under controlled conditions [8]. Additionally, in-unit devices offer partial reduction, but are less effective as standalone solutions.
In regards to clothing manufacturing, scientists have found that various types of surface treatments can be effective. For example, bio-based coatings such as chitosan (a substance found in crab shells) and pectin significantly reduce fiber detachment by reinforcing yarn cohesion. Moreover, silicone-based coatings can lower friction during washing. These approaches address shedding at their origin rather than relying solely on downstream filtration [3][15].ย
Lastly, one obvious way in which to reduce the creation of microplastics and your exposure to them is to avoid buying plastic clothing as much as possible. This includes polyester, nylon, spandex, elastane, lycra, etc. While itโs difficult to avoid them entirely, being conscious of these materials is a great first step to avoid them. Moving forward, try to look for clothing made of cotton (ideally organic), linen, wool, hemp, and silk. While this does take a little more effort, itโs an effective way to dramatically reduce your exposure to microplastics. We wear clothes all day. Why would you want to wear plastic?ย
Clothing represents a continuous, close-contact source of microplastics through inhalation, ingestion of settled dust, and secondary contamination of food and water. Unlike many exposure pathways, textile-derived microplastics are influenced by daily behavioral choices such as fabric selection, washing frequency, and laundering conditions.
Understanding how and why clothes shed microplastics allows us to reduce our exposure and focus on long-term solutions. This is critical for making informed decisions in an environment where synthetic textiles are nearly unavoidable. While taking these steps wonโt completely reduce your microplastic intake, itโs a great first step as part of the broader platform offered by Deplasto.ย
The Deplasto platform, consisting of a scientifically-backed nutritional supplement, an iOS app for tracking daily microplastic intake, and a portfolio of lifestyle recommendations intended to help you minimize microplastics. Our nutritional supplement is formulated to support your bodyโs natural detoxification pathways, including oxidative stress management, cellular repair, and antioxidant support. Our microplastic intake app enables you to estimate and track your daily microplastic intake, with each datapoint backed by scientific studies. Our lifestyle recommendations, found in our blogs and in our eBook, have a plethora of actions and advice designed to help you make small changes to minimize microplastics.
ย Overall, we believe that the best way to eliminate microplastics begins with you and the small changes you make to your daily life. Over time, collectively, we can make a significant difference.
You may have seen the headlines or posts claiming that glass beverage bottles contain more microplastics than plastic bottles. These claims state that glass bottlesโฆ
Microplastics have been found in our water, our food, and even the air we breathe. Although human studies are limited, studies in animals and cellโฆ
Microplastics have been found in our water, our food, and even the air we breathe. Although studies in humans are limited, academic studies in animalsโฆ
