Do you prefer merino wool or fleece? The consumer will have to do real detective work if the goal is to have responsible consumption. Currently, one of the most difficult things shopping is to find clothes that do not use micro -plastics. The largest sources of micro-plastic in the textile industry is the polyester fleece.

Micro -plastic in the textile industry

One of the largest micro -plastics colonies is the textile industry, which utilizes various artificial fibers in its production, such as polyester. Fleece and typically used technical materials used in sportswear are large micro -plastic consumers in their production.

In particular, the risk is the micro -plastics that enter the water, which is transferred to fish, small organisms and waterfowl. Experiences have shown that ecological problems are slowly moving up in the food chain.

There is plenty of choice in clothing, from natural materials to artificial fibers. The best way to avoid micro -plastics is to consume responsibly and less. Even in low consumption, it is advisable to make the best choice for good and bad options, as there is no completely ecological textile.

Make responsible choices

It is good to bring life -cycle thinking to clothing purchases. As a consumer, you should ask the clothing manufacturer how the product is made and how long the clothing life is. It is important to pay particular attention to how the garment is handled and what happens to the garment when it is no longer used. Natural materials, such as merino wool, come from nature. Merino wool is obtained from merino ponds. Artificial fiber, such as polyester used in fleece clothing, is made from grounding. Grounding is a non -renewable resource that does not fall. Two -thirds of the environmental impact of a textile product life cycle has been found to be created during washing and maintenance. Oil-based artificial fibers, such as polyester fleece, cause environmental problems already during use. Washing fibers remove micro -plastics, that is, plastic flakes of less than 5 millimeters, which end up in water bodies. One of the best features of merino wool is its antibacteriality. In most cases, just ventilation is enough to refresh the garment, so that the washing interval can be thinned. Thanks to its antibacterial properties, merino wool clothing remains fresh and odors such as sweat do not stick to wool fiber in the same way as artificial fiber.

The right of the consumer or the responsibility

The micro -plastic problem of the textile industry can be reduced by replacing artificial fiber with natural materials. Consumers play a really big role in directing the supply of clothing manufacturers towards natural materials or at least biodegradable artificial fibers. Thus, there are many other things to do with the choices of responsible consumption than just reducing consumption. Favors natural fiber when shopping, such as merino wool, and keep your clothes to take time.