Q: How can I reduce microplastics in my laundry?
A. Laundry does contribute to microplastic pollution. Synthetic fibers can get released in wastewater and can end up in our oceans. However, there are steps you can take to reduce your laundry’s contribution to microplastics:
- Look for natural fabrics. When looking for new clothing options, it can help to familiarize yourself which the names of popular synthetic materials and consider favoring fabrics that use a higher percentage of natural materials.
- Opt for well-made clothes. Low-priced but stylish clothes, known as fast fashion, may look great but are unlikely to last. By choosing pieces that are better made, even if that means getting fewer of them, your clothes will be more likely to hold up to repeated washes and shed fewer fibers, enabling them to look their best for a long time to come.
- Don’t wash clothes more than recommended. Visit our guide on how frequently to wash different items of clothing so that you don’t put your outfits through more wear and tear than needed.
- Wash in cold water. Another way to reduce the wear and tear that can break down clothing fibers is to wash laundry in cold water. This has the added benefit of saving energy and money that would have been spent heating the water.
- Don’t overfill the washer. Friction can cause microfiber shedding in the laundry. Reduce that friction by only putting an appropriate amount of clothes in each load of laundry and avoid stuffing the washer full. This will also help enable your clothes to get cleaner.
Consider line drying. Heat and tumbling in the dryer can also be a source of microfiber shedding. If you have the space, inside or outside, consider hanging a line or using a rack to air dry your laundry.
Q. Does laundry detergent contribute to microplastics?
A. Laundry detergent does not contribute to microplastics. You may have heard that laundry sheets, packets or pods are a source of microplastic, due to their film coating, but this is not true. You can continue to use these product options without concern.
Why the confusion? The film used in these products, known as PVA or PVOH (polyvinyl alcohol), is a polymer. Plastics are also polymers. However, not all polymers are the same. For instance, silk is also a polymer. In this case, the details really matter. PVOH is a unique kind of polymer that dissolves in the wash. Then, microbes found in wastewater systems and in the environment break it down, leaving no particles behind. And there’s A LOT of research to back that up. Check it out! It’s why the EPA includes it in their Safer Chemicals Ingredients List.
Posted: March 12, 2026