Care for your clothes
Research is in it's early stages, but findings so far indicate that taking better care of our clothes and preventing them from wearing out can reduce the likelihood of microfibers shedding and entering our oceans. Follow these simple steps to help prevent microfibers shedding at home.
Step 1 :
Wash your clothes
with care
How you wash your clothes is one of the most important ways that we as individuals can reduce the likelihood of microfibers shedding in the wash. Follow our #WhatsInMyWash care tips on how to care for your clothes and make them last longer:
Look at your clothing labels
Be aware of the care instructions and what your clothes are made out of. Share a picture of your label with #WhatsInMyWash to show your support.
Wash clothes only when you need to
Microfibers are released in the wash, so if you can get another wear out of something, let it air instead.
Wash clothes on 30° and on shorter cycles
Not only does this save energy, research suggests it can limit microfibre shedding as cooler water doesn’t wear your clothes as much as hotter ones. Research suggests that this can reduce microfibre release by as much as 52%.
Air dry your clothes
Tumble dryers may wear your clothes out increasing the likelihood of microfibre release on the next wash. Your clothes will stay in shape for longer too! If you have a condenser tumble dryer, the liquid collected may contain plastic microfibers – empty it into the bin rather than your sink.
Step 2 :
Choose clothes you really love which are made to last
Choose clothing which is more durable, you'll get more wears from, and which won't end up in the bin. The UK already sends 300,000 tonnes of clothing to landfill every year (WRAP). Over time this clothing breaks down into microplastics which can find their way into eco systems and often our oceans too.
Want to know how to pick good quality clothes? We explain what to look out for in our Hubbub Investigates video here.
Check your clothing care label and look out for clothes made from organic and well sourced fabrics. Think about the other items in your wardrobe. Will you get your 30 wears out of it?