Polyester Sheds Microfibres - Where Do They Go?

If a fabric is made from polyester/nylon/acrylic, it’s plastic. When it’s washed (and even worn) it can shed tiny plastic fibres (“microfibres”) that end up in the environment.

What Are Microfibres?

Microfibres are tiny thread-like fibres. When they come from synthetic textiles, they’re a type of microplastic.

Polyester = plastic

Nylon = plastic

Acrylic = plastic

So when these fabrics shed, they shed plastic fibres.


Does Clothing Really Shed Plastic When Washed?

Yes. Multiple studies have measured fibre shedding during washing. Shedding depends on the fabric construction, how worn it is, and how it’s washed. Fleeces and looser knits tend to shed more than tighter constructions. 


Why It Matters

These fibres are so small that:

  • they can slip through parts of wastewater systems, and

  • they can accumulate in rivers, oceans, and sediments.

Even if wastewater treatment captures a lot, “a lot” isn’t the same as “all” when you’re talking about billions of fibres. 

 

What You Can Do 

  • Buy fewer synthetic pieces (especially cheap polyester blends).

  • Wash less when it doesn’t need it.

  • Use a full load + gentler cycles (less abrasion).

 

Sources

  • “Quantifying shedding of synthetic fibers from textiles…” (Environmental Science and Pollution Research / PubMed record). 

  • “Polyester Textiles as a Source of Microplastics from Households…” (Environmental Science & Technology, ACS). 

  • “Washing load influences the microplastic release…” (Scientific Reports, Nature). 

  • Napper & Thompson (2016) Marine Pollution Bulletin — domestic washing releases synthetic microplastic fibres
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.025

    De Falco et al. (2019) Scientific Reports — measured microfibre release during household washing
    https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-43023-x


 

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