We have created our series EcoHomeLife Explains to help you learn all about sustainability. After all, knowledge is power, because it allows us to make changes for the better. In this edition we look at the effects of synthetic fibres on the environment.
Plastic is everywhere, even in our clothes. If you look at clothes labels in any shop, you will find synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon on most if not all of them. Even jeans often contain polyester to make them stretchable.
What about that dress you really like, because it hugs your figure so tightly? It does that because it contains synthetic fibres. The chances are it’s made from only synthetic fibres.
It’s hard to get away from these plastic fibres, no matter what you buy. And while synthetic fibres such as polyester and nylon might be useful, they aren’t good news for our planet.
So let’s look at the effects of synthetic fibres on the environment.
Producing Synthetic Fibres
As the name synthetic indicates, these fibres are man-made. And like the vast majority of other plastics, they are made from petroleum or petrochemicals.
So the first of the many effects of synthetic fibres on the environment lies in the way they are made. Petroleum is a fossil fuel, which is a finite resource, so isn’t sustainable.
Science is very clear: we have to stop extracting and burning fossil fuels. Several studies have come to this conclusion, including a study by Rogelj et al., 2018.
This means that our continued use of synthetic fibres made from petroleum is fuelling climate change and has a huge impact on our environment. Producing these man-made fabrics also uses a lot of energy, which is again contributing to climate change.
To get all these lovely colours, chemical dyes are used, which contain toxic chemicals. Most of the dye is washed away, and the nasty chemicals end up in our waterways, harming aquatic life.
But because synthetic fibres are cheaper to produce than natural fibres, such as cotton, they have become the main material for fabrics. Not just for clothes, but everything, including sofas, towels, curtains, carpets, etc.
Another reason is their versatility. Synthetic fibres can make fabrics stronger, more durable, stain resistant, dry quicker, stretchable, etc. As you can see, synthetic fibres have quite a lot of advantages, which is why they are so popular.
However, that shouldn’t distract us from one simple fact: they are bad for our environment because they are made from fossil fuels. And that’s not all, far from it.
Synthetic Fabrics Release Microfibres
Another impact synthetic fibres have on our environment is through releasing microfibres. These are a type of microplastics and are released during manufacture of the end products, their use and when they are washed, especially clothes.
Microfibres are tiny strands of fabric that detach themselves when you wash your garments at home. They are too small to be caught in water treatment plants and so make their way into our rivers, lakes and eventually the sea.
There they stay for a long time, because like other plastic, they take ages to break down. Like microplastics, they get eaten by aquatic life and can even be absorbed by plants.
Eventually, these microfibres end up in us, through eating fish or drinking water, as a recent study by Surana et al., 2023, has shown. Microfibres can cause harm to the animals who eat them but also to us humans.
Microfibres make up 90% of the total amount of microplastics in the world. 35% of these are released when we wash our laundry at home. This shows just how large the effects of synthetic fibres on the environment are.
And it’s getting worse not better. Because synthetic fibres are so much cheaper to produce, the demand is increasing. This means the environmental impact will also increase, unless we stop using them.
As gloomy as all this sounds, we aren’t done yet. There is more to come.
The Problem Of Disposal Of Synthetic Fibres
Finally, we have the problem of disposal. As we have already said, synthetic fibres are in essence plastic. As such, they aren’t biodegradable and take a long time to break down.
They can’t be easily recycled either, especially because most fabrics are made from various materials, such as elastane, nylon, polyester or acrylic. Besides, you can’t put these materials in your recycling bin.
This means anything made from synthetic fibres ends up in landfill or is incinerated. Add to this the behaviour of a consumerist society and we have a perfect storm.
Let’s look at fast fashion. The cheapest clothes, always made from synthetic fabrics, are produced in a matter of weeks. We are told we need them to be happy, fashionable, desirable.
After wearing them a few times, they are no longer needed and thrown away to make space for new ones. Charity and second-hand shops won’t want them, because they are of very low quality. So they can’t even be reused.
And it’s not just consumers that throw away clothes on a regular basis. Retailers do too. If they can’t sell the old stock but need the space for new clothes, they throw them away. It’s much cheaper than recycling the garments.
The amount of plastic waste that is created from clothing alone is enormous. And so is the environmental impact.
Minimising The Effects Of Synthetic Fibres On The Environment
So what can we do? There is a dire need for science to come up with cheap and natural fibres that won’t harm the planet. While we already have natural fibres, such as cotton, many aren’t without environmental impacts.
Growing cotton requires huge amounts of water, a precious resource. Hemp fabrics are an alternative, but most natural fibres aren’t plentiful enough to fulfil our demand for new clothes.
And that’s where we, as a society and as individuals, need to change. We have to stop buying without needing things. This is true for clothes, but also for many other things. Not only will this be better for our environment, but it will also cost less.
If we can reduce the demand for fabrics, then natural alternatives might be able to meet the need. And while these fabrics might be more expensive, if they are better quality and last longer, it’s money well spent.
Until then, here are some things you can do to minimise the effects of synthetic fibres on the environment:
- Opt for natural fabrics if possible
- Wash your clothes at lower temperatures as this will reduce the amount of microfibres that are released
- Wash less – not everything has to be washed after one use
- Repair rather than replace
- Buy less
To solve this problem our society has to fundamentally change. But we can all make small changes to at least make a small positive impact.
