The Hidden Plastic in Your Closet: How Fashion is Polluting Our Oceans
By Jacey Sillito
As fashion prioritizes outward appearance, the hidden environmental cost is staggering. Synthetic fabrics in our clothing are shedding millions of plastic microfibers into our oceans, posing a silent threat to marine life and human health.
The UN Environment Programme published an article about the fashion industry's devastating contribution to ocean microplastic pollution. Read more here.
About 60% of clothing is made from synthetic plastics like polyester, acrylic, and nylon. Every time these garments are washed, they shed millions of microfibres that slip past water treatment plants and pour into our oceans. This pollution enters the marine food chain—harming aquatic life and eventually finding its way into everyday human food and waste. While consumers can take steps like washing clothes less frequently or using special filtering bags and balls, experts emphasize that the ultimate responsibility lies with manufacturers and designers to revolutionize how clothing is made.