Microfiber Pollution and The Apparel Industry Research Project | Patagonia and The University of California

Project Aim

This research project designed a management plan for Patagonia, which ideally will be adapted and used by other companies in the apparel industry. The project sought to determine the magnitude of microsynthetic fibers generated from clothing, explore their potential impacts on the marine environment, and determine the contribution Patagonia’s apparel makes to the issue. In addition to the management plan, the project included an in-depth literature review that provided an up-to-date understanding of microfiber impacts from researchers around the world. 

Project Findings

The research found that microfibers are prevalent in both aquatic and terrestrial habitats, from the bottom of the Indian Ocean to farmland in the United States. The experimental results found that when synthetic jackets are washed, on average 1,174 milligrams of microfibers are released from the washing machine. These microfibers then travel to local wastewater treatment plant, where up to 40% of them can enter into rivers, lakes, and oceans (depending on local wastewater treatment conditions).

Read more about the research project HERE ​