Mechanically Recycled Textiles: A Source of Microplastic Fiber Emissions

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Textile industry faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices.
• Mechanical recycling is a key strategy for textile circularity.
• Microplastic fiber (MPF) shedding from textiles is an emerging environmental concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify microplastic fiber release from mechanically recycled polyester fabrics.
• To investigate the impact of multiple recycling cycles on MPF shedding.
• To compare MPF release under different testing conditions (wear vs. laundering).

Main Methods:

• Tested fabrics with 30% recycled polyester (rPES) subjected to 1, 2, or 3 cycles.
• Assessed MPF shedding using Martindale, ICI Pilling Box, and ISO 4484-1:2023 protocols.
• Evaluated shedding under simulated wear (dry abrasion) and laundering (wet) conditions.

Main Results:

• MPF release increased significantly with recycling cycles: rPES-2 (4.3-fold) and rPES-3 (6.2-fold) vs. virgin polyester (PES).
• Once-recycled rPES-1 showed minimal increase in shedding compared to PES during laundering.
• Dry abrasion tests revealed different shedding patterns than wet (laundering) tests, indicating limitations in current assessments.

Conclusions:

• Repeated mechanical recycling progressively degrades polyester fibers, increasing MPF shedding.
• Current wet-state focused shedding assessments may underestimate environmental impact.
• Standardized dry-state testing and improved recycling processes are crucial for mitigating MPF emissions in circular textile systems.