Microfibres - what are the solutions? part two

Episode two – Microfibres – What are the solutions?

TAUSIF: Hello, and welcome to the second instalment of the Global Challenges Podcast hosted by the Leeds Institute of Textile and Colour or LITAC, which we have shortened it to. We have created this podcast series to shine a light on some of the research that is happening at LITAC around the themes of colour, fashion, and textiles research.

This is not an academic podcast. We are hoping to provide insights into the environmental challenges, future concepts, and topical discussion in an informative way. This podcast will be focusing on the issue of microfibres of fragmented fibres and the solutions to tackle this environmental challenge.

We will start with the introductions. So I'll first introduce myself. I am Muhammed Tausif. I am an Associate Professor in sustainable textile manufacturing at the School of Design, University of Leeds. And I actively research in the field of fragmented fibre pollution, understanding it and working on ways how we can mitigate this challenge.

So I'll invite Jamie.

JAMIE: Hi, my name is Jamie Hunt. I am the founder of the brand Pressio. We aim to be the world's leading researcher and brand in sustainable performance sportswear. I'm a former pro athlete and I recently just sold my last business Two Times You, which was a multinational sporting company.

release of fragmented fibres [: 00:02:00

PAUL: Hey, my name is Paul Servin. I lead the science team at Xeros Technology which is a green tech company. We have a planet first attitude and we license out our technology with infiltration, care and finish.

m fragmented fibres. But the [: 00:03:00

I'll make a start with Alma. You've recently published a comprehensive review on the subject of fragmented fibres. Can you please provide a brief summary of the key findings of your review?

ALMA: Well, as you mentioned fragmented fibres are basically fibres or pieces of fibres that fracture from the surface of the textile materials, and they are detached into the environment now. These fibres get damaged due to the stresses that are applied to the textiles during their life cycle.

ccur from any of the textile [: 00:04:00

The fact that fragmented fibres are being released in a non-intentional way means that this release cannot be stopped by regulatory norms as it's the case in another kind of microplastics. So these can come as a threat to the environment and human health, fragmented fibres have been detected in the ecosystem and they are ubiquitous pollutants that have been found in the atmospheric air in water bodies, the sea and the industrial effluent.

an consumption such as food, [: 00:05:00

Then textiles are manufactured, they are treated with additives and chemicals during their productions that can be hazardous and dangerous for the environment and human health after they have been in contact with living organism. So this is a [00:06:00] very active and recent research field, the review that we talk about is focused on understanding the fragmented fibres and studying the generation, release, collection and characterisation of fragmented fibres.

the textile fragment fibres [: 00:07:00

TAUSIF: Paul, Would you like to add to that?

PAUL: Yeah, I'm very happy to hear this from you, Alma, because we very early on in the company made the decision that we actually have to capture all fragment and microfibres coming out in the washing machine. It is not only a matter of the synthetic microfibres, it is also a matter of all the naturally but chemically modified fibres that we need to prevent from going out into the environment. So I'm very happy to hear this.

route as well, where they're [: 00:08:00

My next question is to you Jamie. So why is important for the industry to tackle the challenge of fragmented fibres?

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The problem we have right now, I think is probably the same through all industries right now, is just a lack of education. I think if people out there generally knew the effect of what was going on in this space, and even when it comes down to sporting goods that I'm currently involved in, they have absolutely no idea that this is going on.

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On a whole, I mean, the industry does not know that we are consuming up to 20 grams a month of microfibres. I mean, people just don't realize this. I think it's the education of the industry, of the consumer. Industry first has to go to the government as a collective and address this. I'm actually involved in a few groups in the US that are going to congress and taking this matter on full force. I think every nation has to understand the situation, particularly the government level, but industry needs to get together.

e this, you know, well, what [: 00:11:00

TAUSIF: I think this is the right time, just reflecting on that, Jamie, because I totally agree with you that the scale of the problem we know, but the fundamental understanding is where we are lacking. Just to mention that we are doing an EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council by UKRI funded project at the University of Leeds, we are collaborating with industrial partners and with academic institutions. We are trying to find out three key aims there. We want to understand why this is happening, what are the reasons? And then we are looking at modelling damage.

nt to find solutions, how to [: 00:12:00

The strength at Leeds, is that we have is small scale manufacturing facilities, so we can make our own materials, we can test materials, and so we are very much in control of different fibre types, different structures, and then we can produce scientifically robust data. We have industrial partners who give us the industrial samples, as Jamie has recently worked together with us on a project. And then work with those samples to kind of prove that whatever we are getting in the lab is happening in the real world as such as well.

So my next question is for you, Paul. So what solutions already exist to tackle the release of fragmented fibre from textiles?

technologies that reduce the [: 00:13:00

And our second technology that we have is then our X filter, where we have both a domestic and a commercial version that is then capturing these released fibres from the wash. If we're looking more globally, so not only on, our company there are quite a lot of different capturing technologies out there.

that have a capturing device [: 00:14:00

TAUSIF: I think it's really interesting because it is a big problem as we know, if we look at the scale of it, because normally most fibres are about five times on average, thinner than a human hair. So these are the building blocks of what we are dealing with when these fibres are breaking down and making these fragmented fibres, so it's not an easy task to capture them.

e stop it at source. I think [: 00:15:00

I'm aware there are chemical finishing rules, there is research out there. So it is an active area of research, but ultimately the solution needs to be pragmatic, which can fit in within our existing industry standards. There's no single solution, there's no silver bullet to address this challenge I think that's what I gather from our panel's discussion and moving on back to you, Alma. So, what are your thoughts on the impact of different material textile parameters, structures on the release of fragmented fibres?

ors. However, there are some [: 00:16:00

So first is that definitely the textile materials have a noticeable difference of fragmented fibres. Several stories have found that cotton fibres do release significantly more fragmented fibres than synthetic, such as polyester. This is going to the physical-chemical properties of the fibre materials, and that includes also the fibre breaking strength and the equitability and the fibre dynamics they have when they are in contact with the detergent solutions. So definitely the material will have an important role in their release of fragmented fibres. Now regarding other kind of textile parameters, they will also [00:17:00] have an effect because, well in textiles we have two different fibre forms that are filaments and the staple fibres.

So filaments are these fibres made of an endless length while staples are short or discreet fibres that must be twisted together to form a yarn. So when we compare against the other, we will find that the staple yarns will have definitely a larger number of fibre ends throughout the yarn.

So we will have a higher possibility that these ends, these loose ends will get fractured during wear or laundering and will be converted into fragmented fibres. So that is one of the reasons why also the textile structures, or the yarn structure will have an effect on the fragmented fibre shedding.

lot of ongoing investigation [: 00:18:00

That will definitely alter the fragmented fibre shedding and will have a change, especially for those fibres that are positioned on the textile [00:19:00] surface and will be in the direct contact with the stresses from wear and tear, and the degradation and laundering.

TAUSIF: If I understand correctly, so all different types of fibres, all structures there is an impact as well. Some of the myths about structures being less and more, they are not scientifically sound so we need more data to prove that. I'm aware of some of the research, which already comes from our research group, where we have studied filament structures, staple structures, and different yarn types of fabric types and how does it impact? So Jimmy, coming back to you. As a brand and retailer, what are the key questions on the topic of fragmented fibres, which you think need to be answered?

airiness is high for various [: 00:20:00

We thought we knew a year ago, and then we've done some new research and we've almost been contradicted on some things and we just don't really know. Even between first wash and second wash and third wash, obviously we do see that any fibres that are peached or brushed, we see a massive release as you would expect on the very first wash, but then it settles down dramatically. So it's a lot of these things we are still as an industry, we just don't know.

I think the other part to it right now, and I know the cost is extremely high, but there's no real cost effective way to actually test the fabrics that that you have. I know there's companies that do it out there, but the cost for most smaller brands is just inhibitive to test all their fabrics. So to try and find a way that we can lower the cost of the testing the fabrics would be a massive indicator.

abrics if we had the ability [: 00:21:00

Understanding in the industry what is worse than others? So again, there is academics out there who have to go out and let us know, you know what it is, identifying things, you know, is solution dying going to affect it versus, batch dying, recycled versus virgin yarns?

We're looking at all these things. Understanding more about the twisting of the yarns and trying to reduce it. Even as a company, we do actually make a stand. If we are doing any kind of staple fibres, any kind of peached or brushed fibres, we only do them with certified biodegradable yarns.

It obviously, it isn't a fix, but it is the next best thing until we have, a solution, which is better. We are definitely going down the line of we have to have synthetic yarns. The customers in America, for example, they love the cotton hand field touch of what peach yarns are, or staple fibres are versus a traditional filament fibre.

So we have to, as a brand, we have to make those products, you know, as part of our brand. But if we do it the best way right now is to use certified biodegradable yarns, which are tested both in marine sludge, landfills, et cetera. So that's what we are doing right now. But I think going back to the original question, as an industry, we need to be told, you know. We do know things like fleece, fleece products are the worst.

hings that we are looking at [: 00:23:00

TAUSIF: I fully agree. I think because what Alma said and you said, and Paul mentioned earlier as well, because of the complexity of the fibre [00:24:00] type, structures and finishes, it is such a complex supply chain and all brands have their own product. So it's not possible to test every time and find every time.

We need to build a more systematic understanding. Look, these structures, these materials, what is the likelihood of release? And we need a lot of different solutions. There's no single solution to all of this.

So thank you much for that, Jamie. So I'll, I'll come back to you, Paul.

So how did you envisage the development of this area in the short to medium term?

on agricultural fields, just [: 00:25:00

When it comes to the long term or medium term, I would say, I mean, we need developments, in the textile industry. We need to find either different materials, like Jamie was saying about the biodegradable material that can be used. To be able, to get new materials, a new way of weaving it, or spinning it or whatever to make sure that they release less.

This will of course have two benefits. One benefit will be the release in the washing machine, but also what you release when you're walking around wearing the garment. This means, you know, airborne microfibres is going to be the next problem that we have to tackle. And if we then can do something with the garments directly that will actually help both.

�re doing it and that you're [: 00:26:00

TAUSIF: Definitely I think we are doing research and we're working with industry and we'll make progress and hopefully in a future episode of this podcast we will update you further on what we have achieved since we have last spoken, and we'll also share some links for you to see some of our latest research.

Thank you for all the participants for participating in this podcast, and those who are listening. Please don't forget to follow and subscribe wherever you listen to this podcast, so you do not miss an episode.