Laundry, microfibres and synthetic clothes
Synthetic clothes shed plastic fibres in every wash. Replace as they wear out, and wash cooler and fuller meanwhile.
By PlasticFreeHome Research Team · Reviewed by Khalid · Updated 26 September 2026 · 1 min read
Synthetic clothes shed plastic fibres every time they're washed, dried and worn. Replace them with natural fibres as they wear out — throwing away good clothes creates more waste than it saves.
What sheds
Polyester, nylon, acrylic and fleece all shed microfibres. Studies of domestic washing have measured hundreds of thousands of fibres from a single load. See synthetic clothes → natural fibres.
Reduce shedding now
- Wash fuller loads at 30°C or below.
- Use shorter cycles and lower spin speeds.
- Air-dry rather than tumble dry.
- Wash synthetics less often.
Detergent packaging
Powder in cardboard removes bottles entirely. Pods and sheets use polyvinyl alcohol film; evidence on how completely it breaks down is mixed. See laundry bottles and pods → powder.
Sources
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Top swaps in laundry & clothing
Synthetic fleece and activewear → natural fibres (as you replace)
Synthetic clothes shed microfibres in every wash. Replace them with natural fibres as they wear out — don't bin good clothes.
Worth doing · about 1.5 kg of plastic a year
Laundry liquid bottles and pods → powder in a box
Powder in a box removes the bottle. Pods use a polymer film whose breakdown in the environment is still debated.
Worth doing · about 1.2 kg of plastic a year