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Laundry is a top source of microplastic pollution—here's how to clean your clothes more sustainably (theconversation.com)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The most common microplastics in the environment are microfibers—plastic fragments shaped like tiny threads or filaments. Microfibers come from many sources, including cigarette butts, fishing nets and ropes, but the biggest source is synthetic fabrics, which constantly shed them.

Textiles shed microfibers while they are manufactured, worn and disposed of, but especially when they are washed. A single wash load can release several million microfibers. Many factors affect how many fibers are released, including fabric type, mechanical action, detergents, temperature and the duration of the wash cycle.

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 9 months ago (13 children)

That's not necessarily true though when it comes to single material fabrics these days believe it or not! You can buy 100% cotton at a lower price point than lots of synthetics. Pick a store really. For example Old Navy is pretty cheap - they sell 100% cotton shirts, denim, shorts, etc. they also sell synthetic blends, and the pricing is more a function of style than anything. Jump to a higher tier like JCrew - same is true. Nordstrom. Bloomingdale's. Designer boutique. Hell look at jeans. You can get full denim 501s and wrangler on the same shelf as synthetic, same brand and price point. You can get incredibly well made Flanels that are cotton/tencel blends from brands like Patagonia, kuhl, or Fjallraven, or you can get a 60/40 poly/cotton blend from faherty for more money. And in all these cases, what holds true is they'll last you longer, no matter what price point you picked.

It also swings the other way where you can buy much more expensive 100% cotton items at a huge markup over synthetics. Look at reigning champ as a good example - same cotton everyone else uses, huge markup for reasons that their customer base feels are fair enough to keep paying for their stuff. You can also buy synthetics at a huge mark up way over those already marked up cottons. Many designer brands want you to wrap yourself in a 35% polyester, 30% spandex sweatshirt for $400.

One caveat is that in general, finding single material fabrics is all around more difficult for women than men, mainly as a function of style trends. But even that's swinging the other way currently.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 9 months ago (12 children)

I don’t believe it. In part because it was not my experience when I was financially destitute and also because it’s not what I see now.

There may be some options at places like Old Navy that are inexpensive but fast fashion is just trading one devil for another.

Personally I think everyone should thrift as much as they can and avoid buying new when/where possible.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (11 children)

You not believing it doesn't make it untrue. Where do you shop? What do you buy? Find me a reputable store that doesn't carry non-blend fabrics, and I'll find you one around the same price point that does. Nobody suggested you had to go to Old Navy, in fact I used it to demonstrate that even cheap places (Old Navy is all about cheap) have non synthetic options. They're a baseline that holds true as you advance to just about every price point.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Like the joke about the airplane their point was clearly over your head. ✈️🤣

[–] [email protected] 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

There are no points on a circle my friend.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Wow, you like being wrong huh? A circle is defined in mathematics as a type of line which is composed of infinite number of points that are equidistant from a given point.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Omg not semantics, anything but semantics

[–] [email protected] 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

Pedantics, actually. Much like this comment. Semantics would be applicable if you weren’t trying to be superior by dropping a single ambiguous sentence.

Since you left the meaning of your comment ambiguous I interpreted it as your lack of understanding what the mathematical definition of a circle is.

Based on the comment thread it seems like you need all the help you can get. I hope you find it!

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