Researchers have discovered that waste from the global apparel industry is leaking millions of tons of plastic into the environment each year and may be getting worse over time.
Ironically one of the few industries who could actually use recycled plastic
I forgot my bags at the grocery store, so I told the clerk I’d like to buy one of their expensive plastic bags. She denied they had plastic bags anymore. I explained polyester. She was shocked.
People have no clue. Nylon, PVC, PET, spandex, and the most insane, vegan leather. Turns out, polyurethane is not made out of vegans.
It’s hardly overlooked. It’s been widely known for many years that cheap fast fashion is one of the worlds worst pollutants. Stop buying from shein, h&m, tkmax, and all the others. Buy quality clothing that will last a few years at least.
Even the Patagonia polar fleece is a fucking horrible microplastic shredder.
TJ Maxx is a reseller …lol if anything they keep the factory 2nds out of landfills
This is nothing new, nor overlooked, you are precisely correct. For Example: Aug 2023: 10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/
Nov 2022: The environmental costs of fast fashion https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/environmental-costs-fast-fashion
Feb 2019: Fashion has a huge waste problem. Here’s how it can change https://www.weforum.org/stories/2019/02/how-the-circular-economy-is-redesigning-fashions-future/
Yeah I’ve known about this for at least 4 years. I no longer buy North Face fleeces (my favorite garments 😢) because they shed microplastics while doing laundry.
What have you found for an alternative?
look into alpaca fleece like from appalachian gear company
I’ll check it out. Sadly it seems that AGC is out of business.
Any other recommendations for brands? I’ve tried Realfleece merino wool and it was warm and comfy but not terribly durable, and breathtakingly expensive.
Do you have to wear fleece? Cotton and wool flannels and shirts, and nylon down or synthetic puffies will shed dramatically fewer microplastics. Could do more of a canvas jacket instead of puffy but I live in Colorado so it’s puffies all the way down. I don’t own any fleece and don’t miss it at all.
Obviously I don’t have to but I find it a comfortable and convenient form and style… a little more than a shirt, a little less than an outdoor jacket. Perfect for the range of 0-20 degrees, inside or out.
Flannel as a material is okay, but I can’t stand tartan.
Ok I agree with the sentiment about the first two retailers, but tkmax is an outlet store that doesn’t produce it’s own clothing, suitcases, etc. it resells surplus stock. If anything, it’s better for the environment because it stops that stuff from going to landfill.
most of what tj maxx sells is lower quality stuff made specifically for them by major brands. i get where you’re coming from on the surface level examination, but as you peel the layers back you find the way the contracts work is they’re who most of the worst textile poluters are who’s doing their polution through. a better solution is to buy higher quality clothes from smaller brands that don’t sell through wholesale models at all
I hate polyester. Cotton feels so much nicer
I literally can’t wear it. Along with other artificial fibers (viscose and polyester especially) they cause me to come out in hives where it touches my skin. Cotton and soft wools are pretty much the only thing what I can wear.
Thank you! I tried wearing a new pair of polyester socks today and within an hour it felt like I was wearing socks made of pink fibreglass insulation!
I switched to cotton t-shirts 5-10 years ago, thinking the same thing. However my first set of cotton t-shirts has worn out and needed to be replaced, whereas I still have polyester t-shirts from before that that look much nicer.
Polyester has advantages in durability, stain resistance, wrinkle resistance, and can be much thinner and lighter. I’m not entirely sure cotton is really better
Some studies estimate about a third of microplastic pollution comes from synthetic textiles. Cotton may require more water and land but at least it doesn’t produce more microplastics.
Polyester might look nicer longer but it feels all gross and like… almost slimy on the skin. Plus it stinks.
Wtf u think polar fleece is?
Like u don’t have 15 polar fleece shirts.
What a weird accusation of a stranger 😂 “Don’t act like you don’t wear POLAR FLEECE!!”
It was years before I knew that polyester was even a plastic that can give off toxic chemicals or micro plastics.
