Textile fibre pollution is a global problem, present across multiple ecosystems. These microfibres are shed throughout the entire lifecycle of certain products, and their release is linked to materials, processes and uses, with variability along the supply chain.
Recent studies provide new evidence on the behaviour of fibres and textile processes in relation to microfibre release. The report “Spinning Greenwash…” by Changing Markets Foundation analyses the behaviour of different materials, while “Behind the Break…,” led by Fashion for Good, highlights the variability of fabrics along the value chain, noting that: “fabrics behave differently…”.
In this context, it has been demonstrated that washing textiles releases microfibres that can be transferred into wastewater systems and, in part, reach the environment (Napper & Thompson, 2016; Hernandez et al., 2017; Cai et al., 2020), identifying the use phase as a relevant point of release.
Tests conducted by Girbau LAB within the framework of the innovation project Scarabat make it possible to analyse this behaviour in controlled environments.
The study was carried out over 25 wash cycles. The test allows analysis of the distribution of shedding across a representative sequence of use. Specifically, the results show that shedding is not uniform across cycles. The first wash concentrates up to 35% of the total microplastics released, while the first five washes account for 61% of the total.
Pre-consumer industrial washing constitutes a viable solution for reducing microplastic release in a controlled environment before products reach the market.
These findings confirm the concentration of shedding in the first wash cycles and allow the initial phase to be identified as a specific intervention point within the product lifecycle, where capture strategies can be implemented in controlled environments.
Thus, pre-consumer industrial washing constitutes a viable and applicable solution for reducing the impact of microplastics on the environment. This approach makes it possible to centralise initial shedding and enables the recovery of micro-waste in a controlled environment, reducing the transfer of microfibres to domestic washing, where capture capacity is limited or non-existent.
The technological solution for this implementation has been developed, validated and is available for use in industrial and commercial environments. Its integration into production processes allows action to be taken on initial shedding at a centralised point in the system, with parameter control and the capacity to recover the waste generated. If shedding is concentrated above all in the first wash cycle, why not intervene at this stage in a controlled environment?
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