Summary of evidence on textile-derived microfibre
19th December 2019
These reports examine the current literature on microfibres: estimating the scale of microfibre formation and shedding; reviewing current mitigation actions; and identifying key evidence gaps in studies conducted so far.
There are major data gaps in quantifying where microfibres go when they are not captured; and what impact they have on the environment
Over 70kt of the mass loss occurs during processing to fibre, spinning and winding, and weaving and knitting
Laundry contributes a relatively low tonnage of fibre loss, but the likelihood of entering the marine environment is higher