What Travels With Laundry Water?

The Laundry Water Journey

Doing laundry can sometimes be simple: clothes go in, water swirls around, and everything comes out fresh and clean. But once the washer drains, that water begins a journey. The water starts a journey connecting our homes to rivers, oceans, and ecosystems.

 Where The Water Goes

After each wash cycle, laundry water flows throughout household plumbing into a municipal wastewater treatment plant. A process we don't often see, but it exists for our convenience. These facilities are designed to remove large debris, organic waste, and many other chemicals before releasing treated water back into the environment. However, wastewater systems are not built to filter out small particles, especially microscopic fibers released from clothing.

Source: https://www.fashionrevolution.org/our-clothes-shed-microfibres-heres-what-we-can-do/

 

Researchers have identified synthetic clothing as one of the main contributors of microplastics to aquatic environments, particularly through everyday household laundry.

Source: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/microfibres

Natural vs. Synthetic Fibers~It Matters

Every time clothes are washed, they shed fibers. The difference lies in what those fibers are made of:

• Natural fibers such as cotton, linen, wool, and hemp come from plants or animals. When they shed, these fibers are biodegradable and break down more easily in water treatment systems and the environment, making the transfer of natural fibers into our rivers and oceans environmentally friendly for the planet.

Source:  https://cottontoday.cottoninc.com/our-sustainability-story/microfibers/cotton-natural-fiber-microplastic-free/

• Synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic, and elastane (spandex & lycra) are made from petroleum. Yes, the same petroleum used in crude oil to create gasoline. Many of the materials used in fast fashion are not biodegradable. Instead, they fragment into tiny plastic fibers that persist in waterways for decades. These microplastics can take anywhere from 20 to 1,000 years to decompose.

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969720323040

Microplastics: The Invisible Travelers

When synthetic clothing is washed, it can release hundreds of thousands of microfibers per load. These fibers are classified as microplastics; many of the plastic particles are smaller than 5 millimeters. Due to their size, many pass through wastewater treatment and enter rivers, lakes, and oceans. Creating the cycle of how these microplastics are becoming part of our daily consumption.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43023-x

Once in the environment, microplastics can be consumed by aquatic life. These microscopic fibers are transforming our entire food supply chain and how we consume food. This gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "farm to table". You are what you eat! Good news is scientists are studying the long-term effects on our ecosystems and human health, but their widespread presence is now well documented.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7068600/

Industry Momentum Toward Change

Recognizing this challenge, many major apparel companies have joined a global industry coalition led by a nonprofit sustainability organization, committing to significantly reduce reliance on synthetic fibers. Their shared goal is to increase the use of recycled materials and lower overall plastic pollution from textiles. These large companies can have a greater impact by making these changes.

The coalition's growing collaboration signals a shift toward more responsible material choices that support both people and the planet. We at Urban PentHouse hope the coalition of companies commit to using more natural fiber textiles to improve their environmental impact.

Source: https://textileexchange.org/2025-recycled-polyester-challenge/

 

Urban PentHouse came across this research and the effects on the planet. Our R&D is an ongoing learning process as we evolve to seek and utilize the best quality products. Be patient with our small team as we make necessary improvements. The goal is to ensure all future headwear will be made of natural textile fibers.

 

DISCLAIMER: Because we're friends, always do your own research and reading. The blog is written based on my observation from years of working in fashion. Scientific evidence and critical examination by expert sources came from various articles.

 

Images courtesy of:

Тямаев Миша 

Stan Versluis 

Quang Nguyen Vinh