Micro mini that’s not sexy

Itrsquos everywhere hidden in the texture of wool the lightness of linen and the smoothness of silk Itrsquos in twothirds of our clothingmdash and yet most of us donrsquot know itrsquos there Itrsquos plastic and itrsquos everywhereSynthetic fibresmdashalong with elastane nylon and acrylicmdashalready account for 69 per cent of all textiles produced in the world This figure is expected to reach nearly threequarters by 2030 according to a report researched by Changing Markets Foundation Polyester alone makes up 52 per cent of all fibre production Petroleumbased synthetics like polyester and nylon are cheap to make sturdy and flexible and used to produce anything from fleece jackets Tshirts to yoga slacks and tracksuitsIn 2019 Aakash Ranison and Jellyfish Watersports collaborated on a cleanup drive at Beypore beach in Kozhikode The 2000 singleuse bottles collected were used to make the worldrsquos first marine cemetery with nine gravestonelike markers each constructed on an iron frame holding up neatly stacked plastic bottles These represent one critically endangered species eachWhile itrsquos no secret that too many of the plastic products we use end up in the ocean a major source of that debris is our clothes An average person releases roughly 300 million microfibres thinner than a human hair per year by doing laundry states PlanetCare website The sheer amount of clothes an individual owns usually more than 100 pieces puts the textile industry on the top as the single biggest microplastic polluterA recent report in Nature magazine ballparks the amount anywhere between 640000 and 1500000 microfibre pieces shed per wash which travel to your local wastewater treatment plant where up to 50 per cent enter rivers oceans and soil and also sneak their way into the food chain In the first public scientific investigation by Orb Media more than 80 per cent of the samples collected across five continents tested positive for the presence of plastic fibres in tap water New Delhi reported 82 per centAakash RanisonThere is evidence of plastic fibres in the Arctic waters reports The Guardian and a study by Britainrsquos Royal Society discovered microfibres plumbed in the depths of the Mariana Trench one of the worldrsquos deepest ocean trenchesIn Mumbai nearly 21 million tonnes of untreated waste is released into the sea every day What chance does our marine life haverdquo says Shaan Lalwani who is trying to make a difference in the laundry room The 37yearold Mumbai entrepreneur is the founder of Coco Custo an ecofriendly vegan laundry detergent brand An engineer by education Lalwani worked in the real estate industry for a decade before she decided to launch her detergent brand ldquoI always tell people that the idea came to me 25 metres below sea level when I was diving in Mauritius Earlier that day instructors told us how the cleaning chemicals dumped into the ocean were killing coral reefs that support 25 per cent of all marine liferdquo she says It took 18 months of market study relearning chemistry and research to identify possible raw biodegradable materials and processes that are both sustainable and scalable She launched the brand in 2019 and operates from ldquoa cottage industry almostrdquo unit in MumbaiShaan Lalwani 37 is the Mumbaibased founder of Coco Custo an ecofriendly vegan laundry detergent brand that she says is free of SLS sulphates optical brightener parabens artificial fragrances and dyes The onekg tin costs Rs 380 and you get 50 washes from itUnlike with cosmetics manufacturers of detergents are not obliged to list all ingredients on product packaging ldquoThe tiny particles you see floating in water after you soak clothes in powder detergent are in fact microplastics that are used to act as scrubbing agents These insoluble plastic particles remain dispersed in water and get flushed into our drainagerdquo says Lalwani adding that they use plantbased surfactant made from certified organic coconut and natural essence oils from South India ldquoOur powder detergents have qualities similar to liquid detergents Itrsquos free of SLS sulphates optical brightener parabens artificial fragrances dyes and lather boosters etc all the things that are bad for you and the planet Itrsquos also packaged in a steel tin to reduce plastic footprintrdquoAs of January 2025 all new washing machines in France will have to include a filter to stop synthetic clothes from polluting waterways This makes it the first country to take legislative steps in the fight against plastic microfibre pollution ldquoWhile there is no such thing as the perfect solution filters help to a large extentrdquo she addsIn the first public scientific investigation by Orb Media more than 80 per cent of the samples collected from five continents tested positive for the presence of plastic fibres in tap water New Delhi reported 82 per cent Microplastics contaminate the sea and seafoodBecause smooth stretchy materials like yoga slacks are made of longer fibres they have less threads protruding and ldquolesser likely to shed fibresrdquo points out Lalwani ldquoIt would also help if fashion designers start talking about the microplastic problemrdquoSometimes inspiration comes from the place yoursquod least expect it For couturier Amit Aggarwal 42 it was the dump yard hersquod pass on the way to his studio in New Delhi ldquoWe donrsquot call it wasterdquo he clarifies ldquowe call it materialsrdquo From upcycling discarded Patola sarees to working with recycled polymer strips and rubberand leftover sequin tubes and transforming them into artisanal details on fabrics such as tulle silk and lace Aggarwal offers a different kind of approach to couture ldquoWe are constantly reminded about what constitutes luxury fashion and that only certain fabrics and surface textures fit the bill And so itrsquos through exploring discarded materials that we ask lsquoWhy notrsquordquoShubhi SachanGiven the fashion industryrsquos colossal carbon footprint the appeal for the narrative of recycled materials is clear ldquoWe donrsquot claim to be experts on recycling or use the latest scientific research and thatrsquos why we are mindful about not using terms like lsquosustainablersquo in our communicationrdquoAs for the issue of microplastics Aggarwal approaches the question from a different angle ldquoMy clients donrsquot have the heart to put it his garments in the washing machinerdquo ldquoEven though our label instructions read lsquodryclean onlyrsquo they can just as easily be handwashed For me the lifecycle of the garment is important Most of our pieces are weightless and can be easily folded and put away There is very little ironing required toordquoA shot from Amit Aggarwalrsquos fashion film for his couture collection 2020 which featured models floating in water dressed in diaphanous lehengas coated with metallic polymer strips and embroideryI am frustrated with our policiesrdquo Aakash Ranison an independent climate change advocate says on the phone from Leh ldquoA climate emergency should have been declared by now Instead we are replacing plastic bags with cloth If you burn this cloth bag yoursquoll find that it does not perish completely leaving behind a black soot an indication that the material was blended with polythenerdquo Ranison claims that he owns four pairs of trousersmdash joggers jeans cargos and shorts When it comes to clothing he feels personal validation translating into lsquolikesrsquo on social media is more important than questioning how and where the outfit is made or from what it is made ldquoWe still donrsquot relate microplastics with clothing In fact each one of us is presently consuming 3 to 5 million microfibres daily through liquids such as water beer and winerdquoAmit AggarwalIn November 2019 Ranison and Jellyfish Watersports collaborated on a cleanup drive at Beypore beach Kozhikode where 80 participants managed to collect a staggering 800 kilos of plastic waste While most of the solid waste was handed over to the municipality for recycling 2000 singleuse bottles were left behind The team decided to create a marine cemetery a firstofitskind in the world comprising nine gravestonelike markers each constructed on an iron frame holding up neatly stacked plastic bottles These represent one critically endangered species each and stand at four feet The only exception is Miss Kerala a native freshwater fish who towers at fourfeet tallRanison says that most clothing companies put a lot of money into marketing products but finds little evidence that theyrsquove put as much money into research and development of new synthetic fabrics that will not shed microfibres ldquoNature should be in focus while drafting solutions but we are busy trying to make money off itrdquo he rues ldquoWe see this in a growing number of brands switching to recycled fibres often advertising these clothes as the more lsquosustainablersquo choice when thatrsquos far from true A recycled garment sheds 65 per cent more fibre in the wash than the new one made from virgin polyester Breaking a plastic bottle into millions of fibrous bits of plastic might prove to be worserdquo Shubhi Sachan design consultant and founder of Material Library of Indiamdasha company focused on investigating value chains and making industrial and agricultural waste materials come to life againmdashdoesnrsquot see the point of taking away bottles from the bottling industry ldquoWhen plastic is turned into polyester for clothing wersquore taking it away from a closedloop systemrdquoBecause of this Sachan says that textile manufacturers and designers gloating about garments created from recycled PET plastic bottles as some kind of virtuous act is tantamount to green washing ldquoItrsquos recycled but is it recyclable Plastic can be recycled into plastic again and again But when you break it down into filament and then into yarn or fabric and finally into the product you take it too far from its original state and it will eventually end up polluting our oceansrdquo explains Sachan who has previously worked with Godrej and Ikea Sweden Dr Reddyrsquos and Afroz Shah Foundation on waste managementShe believes that waste needs to be declared as an industry by the government ldquobecause the moment itrsquos recognised as a standalone business which is at the heart of a circular economy strict policies and regulations will mandate responsible design production and consumption of plasticsrdquo300MAmount of microfibres an average person releases per year by just doing laundry according to PlanetCare websiteHow to reduce microfiber pollutionThe best way to do this is to start with your laundry A few simple changes to the routine can make all the difference1 Washing clothes in cold water 23 degree Celsius with shorter cycles reduces microfiber shedding by up to five times Instead of tumble drying your clothes hang them out to sundry2 Collect the clothes through the week and try to fill your washing machine up to the recommended capacity Washing garments in a full load of laundry can reduce shedding up to five times3 Most laundry detergents perform as well at half the recommended dose Read the instructions on packaging and use half4 Some research suggests that liquid detergents are generally more ecofriendly than powder as they trigger less friction5 Try and consider if garments need washing after every wear Jeans for instance can be aired in the sun and washed after a few wears6 If you stain a garment spot cleaning is the best way to treat it instead of doubling your detergent amount7 Invest in washing machines that come with inbuilt microfibre filters as they are proven to capture microfibres at source ldquoEmpty out the filter after every wash and place the fibres in a plastic bottle Repeat the process until full These are called ecobricks which can be deposited at recycling units in your cityrdquo suggests Shaan Lalwani8 Finally if you have followed the care instructions correctly and something still goes wrong with a garment the first time you wash or dryclean it remember your rights as a consumer and address the problem with the brand