Recycled polyester is a sustainability fig leaf covering fashion’s deepening dependence on synthetic materials.
The fashion sector’s environmental strategy is making microplastics pollution worse, a new investigation has found.
More than a hundred brands claim that recycled polyester from waste plastic bottles can help reduce pollution and other environmental problems. Adidas, H&M, Puma and Patagonia have switched almost all their polyester use from virgin to recycled for sustainability reasons.
But new laboratory research, published today by the non-profit Changing Markets Foundation, found that recycled polyester creates 55 per cent more microplastic pollution particles on average during washing than virgin polyester, which is less brittle.
Organisms
The particles were also found to be nearly 20 per cent smaller, so more able to spread in the environment and cause harm.
Urska Trunk, the senior campaign manager, Changing Markets Foundation, said: “Fashion has been selling recycled polyester as a green solution, yet our findings show it is deepening the microplastic pollution problem.
"It exposes recycled polyester for what it is: a sustainability fig leaf covering fashion’s deepening dependence on synthetic materials.
"Smarter design tweaks and end-of-pipe fixes will only scratch the surface. Real solutions mean slowing and phasing out synthetic fibre production and stopping the diversion of plastic bottles into disposable clothing."
A single laundry cycle can release up to 900,000 microplastic fibres. Microplastics are now so widespread they are found in the most extreme locations and circulate in all environments: soil, air, water and living organisms. It has been found in numerous human organs and is linked to a growing number of health problems.
Garments
Recycled polyester is a sustainability fig leaf covering fashion’s deepening dependence on synthetic materials.
The study focused on a relatively small number of garments from five major brands, and the results provide only an indication of likely pollution rates. T-shirts, tops, dresses and shorts sold by Adidas, H&M, Nike, Shein and Zara were tested.
The study is the first to compare brands for microplastic pollution, Changing Markets believes. The brands are among the fashion world’s biggest producers and users of synthetic fabrics, according to a recent Changing Markets survey.
Nike polyester clothing was found to be the most polluting, for both virgin and recycled fabric. The brand’s recycled polyester shed over 30,000 fibres per gram of sample clothing on average, nearly four times H&M’s average and over seven times Zara’s average.
Shein clothing also stood out. Its recycled polyester garments shed microplastics at around the same rate as its virgin polyester clothing.
Overproduction
Even before today’s findings, environmentalists concluded that fashion’s recycled polyester drive is largely greenwash.
Polyester clothes recycling systems are seen as “important” but also “in development” and only able to process “around two per cent of all recycled polyester”. In contrast, the drinks sector can repeatedly reuse waste plastic bottles, but now has to compete with fashion brands for them.
Meanwhile, fashion’s use of virgin polyester is growing so fast that the share of recycled polyester last year actually fell. The low cost of synthetic fabrics, now being produced at record highs, has driven huge overproduction, overconsumption and waste.
A spokesperson for Puma said: "Our shedding test results on 100 per cent recycled polyester, and 100 per cent virgin polyester fabrics show that recycled polyester does not consistently shed more or less microfibers than virgin polyester."
A spokesperson for H&M told The Ecologist: "We believe that microfibres need to be addressed at several stages throughout our value chain, including design, production, use and end-of-life, which is why we cooperate with other stakeholders to find effective solutions."
The Ecologist has contacted Adidas and Patagonia for comment.
This Author
Brendan Montague is an editor of The Ecologist.
