Synthetic fibres can have many negative impacts on the world, and us, but as fashion brands continue to mislead consumers about how ‘green’ they are, how do we know who is telling the truth?
The first problem with synthetics is what they’re made from. Oil. Plastic textiles, such as polyester, account for some 342 million barrels of crude oil a year. Think about that. 342 million barrels of oil, whose carbon is now unlocked to our atmosphere in the process of making a material that will pollute our water sources, our seas and the land on which we live. That’s a high price for cheap fashion.
If fossil fuel extraction isn’t bad enough, consider the impact of microplastics. Less than 5mm in size, these are tiny plastic particles that result from the breakdown of larger plastics or are manufactured for products like cosmetics and textiles. They contaminate ecosystems by accumulating in soil, water and the food chain, posing risks to wildlife and potentially human health through ingestion and chemical exposure. They also harm the natural environment, impacting biodiversity and harming animal welfare.
Exposure to microplastics has been found to lead to DNA damage, organ dysfunction, neurotoxicity and more making it even more worrying that they are everywhere, even in human blood.
So why do brands use synthetic fibres? Well, the most obvious answer is because they are cheap to produce. And sadly, price beats environmental concern for many in the business of fashion. The Changing Markets foundation analysed 46 clothing companies in 2021, discovering that the majority of them ignore the growing waste crisis and plastic pollution caused by the fibres.
When questioning these brands, only 26 of them were somewhat transparent about the synthetics they use, and none of them made a clear commitment to stop using synthetic fibres. Only six companies, including Hugo Boss and Puma, indicated that they wanted to avoid or reduce them, highlighting the quest for profit over planet.
It was telling that major sports brands, admitted that most of their collections were made from synthetic fibres – and that they had no desire to change this.
Even some of the biggest names in outdoor wear, generally viewed as being favourably disposed to the environment, refused to disclose any meaningful information about their use of synthetics.
Researchers looked at 4,028 products in the online shopping sections of stores including Zara, ASOS, Marks & Spencer and Gucci, and found that two thirds (67%) of clothes contained some type of synthetic, and on average, the clothes that contained these fibres were comprised of more than half (53%) synthetics.
Brands try to hide this by ‘greenwashing’ – claiming they use ‘sustainable’ synthetics like ‘recycled’ polyester. 85% of the companies analysed said they aim to achieve their ‘recycled’ polyester targets by using polyester from downcycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles. Consumers are then misled – believing that clothes labelled as ‘recycled’ are made out of old garments, and that they are part of a circular system. However, no companies in the Changing Markets Foundation report indicated they would try to move back to circular recycling.
Synthetic fibres are evidently extremely damaging to humans, animals and the environment – causing problems all over the world. This is why natural fibres are a great alternative to use instead of synthetics, as they don’t pose hazards to our health and cause pollution and are much more sustainable.
Natural fibres are hugely versatile, and can be used for many products due to their durability, and the fact that they are biodegradable. This is not the case with synthetic fibres, which have a multitude of problems, such as being very flammable, difficult to wash, not water or sweat absorbent. The formaldehyde finish resins, dyes, glue and para-phenylenediamine (PPD) can also cause skin problems.
While clothing companies are less than honest about their use of synthetic fibres, consumers will continue to spend money on brands that are damaging the environment and our health. And our planet will continue to suffer. There is only so much it can take, before it breaks. Let’s not test it further and make the natural choice – for all our sakes.
