Quantification of microfibre release from textiles during domestic laundering

Abstract This study explores three major factors that influence the quantification of microfibres released from domestic laundering of textiles; test methodologies, laundering variables, and fabric variables. A review of different test methods is presented, highlighting the variation in quantification created by using different methodologies. A reliable and reproducible method for quantifying microfibre release from domestic laundering is used to explore the impact of laundering and fabric variables experimentally. Our results show that the increasing wash liquor ratio and wash agitation results in a greater mass of microfibres released, but we found that fabric variables can have a greater influence on microfibre release than the laundering variables tested in this study. However, no single fabric variable appeared to have a dominant influence. Using the data obtained and assumptions for washing load size and frequency, an estimate of the annual microfibre release from untreated domestic laundering in the UK is presented. Depending on different laundering and fabric variables, estimates range from 6,490 tonnes to 87,165 tonnes of microfibre discharged in the UK each year.