Recycled Polyester: Fashion's Microplastic Deception?

Fashion's celebrated shift to recycled polyester is not the environmental win it appears to be. A recent laboratory investigation commissioned by the Changing Markets Foundation found that recycled polyester sheds more microfibers, and even finer particles, than virgin polyester, worsening microplastic pollution. This challenges the industry's narrative that recycled polyester is a sustainable solution.

The study, which tested garments from major brands like Adidas, H&M, and Zara, suggests that the widespread adoption of recycled polyester serves as a 'sustainability fig leaf.' While brands tout progress in reducing virgin plastic reliance, they are simultaneously increasing overall synthetic fiber production. Moreover, 98 percent of recycled polyester originates from downcycled plastic bottles, not old textiles, preventing true circularity and locking materials into garments that are difficult to recycle further.