Over 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year. While plastic bags, bottles or pipes are recognizable to all of us, one of the main causes of plastic pollution is less visible to the eye.
We are talking about our clothes, the ones we wear and wash every day. Most clothing in their material composition is based on plastic. Here we mention polyester, nylon or acrylic. These are most of the materials that make up winter, gym or mass-produced fast fashion clothing. When washed, synthetic clothing releases plastic microfibers that are less than 5mm in diameter. We cannot see them with the naked eye, but these microfibers are found everywhere around us, from the shores of the seas and oceans, in the parks or the roads that we pass in our daily life. The most dangerous of all is that they are also found in the air, food or drinks we consume.
Studies show that traces of plastic microfibers are also found in our lungs. At higher levels, they are found in fashion workers who are in daily contact with the production of synthetic materials, nylon or acrylic.
But what can we do to prevent or minimize this problem?
Reduce the use of synthetic, nylon and acrylic clothing. Besides being harmful to the skin, they are very harmful to the environment and our organism.
Reduce buying from fast fashion giants or companies that are not transparent in the production of the products they sell.
To wash clothes when necessary and in large quantities, being more conscious in their use. In this way, the microfibers that are released are minimal, since the clothes themselves stop each other in their distribution.
Use equipment that captures these microfibers in the washing machine, such as special bags, wool balls, or special filters for your washing machine.
Let's focus more on used/second hand products.
