Microfibers are in everything! Yoga pants, fleeces, and even underwear. All microfibers are synthetic and made from polyester. Polyester can be made from new materials but can also be made from old, recycled materials, like plastic bottles! Every day the world throws away billions of plastic bottles. Some companies are starting to turn plastic trash into stuff we actually like; once recycled, bottles can be chopped up, woven into clothing, and then worn, loved, and washed by you. Seems like a great solution right? When you look closer, there are some real problems with this. Some people think that this means increased plastic use is okay — it is not! Also every time synthetic materials are washed (whether they were made from recycled materials like plastic bottles or all new materials), super tiny pieces of plastic called microfibers are washed off and flow down the drain. Hundreds of thousands each time! The longer these pieces are loved and rewashed, the worse the problem becomes (shedding more and more). These are then washed down the drain, and the fibers are so small, they can’t even be caught by water filtration systems and go right into our rivers, lakes, even the ocean. When in the ocean, these fibers act as sponges, sucking up other pollutants around them. They then become these little ‘toxic bombs’ just filled with industrial chemicals, pesticides, and motor oil that then end up in the bellies of fish that eventually end up in our bellies! It is already estimated that there are 1.4 million trillion microfibers in our ocean. These are some serious downsides to what seemed like a great solution. While we can try washing our clothes less, we need to start using natural fibers. Polyester accounts for more than half global fiber consumption. Buy bathing suits and workout clothes made of recycled material like from the brand Natasha Tonic, the swimsuit brand with the least synthetic fiber used to produce them and made ethically! Avoid most products marketed as vegan, it’s likely going to be made of synthetics. Vegan leather is often made of polyurethane (most popular in home furnishings like furniture, bedding, and carpet underlay) or toxic PVC, and who wants to be wearing that? Here are some brands where you can be sure to find almost 100% natural fibers: Toast Sourcery Agaati Siizu People Tree
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AuthorBlog posts are written by members of Recycled Riches Clothing Co. Archives
April 2021
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