Wash Smart, Dry Smart: Keep Microplastics Out of Our Oceans

A Simple Laundry Shift That Protects Life Below Water

Every time you do laundry, you have the chance to protect marine life. How? By doing two simple things:

1. Use a microfiber-catching laundry bag or filter, and
2. Air-dry your synthetic clothes when possible.

These micro-actions help prevent plastic fiber pollution from reaching oceans and rivers, supporting SDG 14: Life Below Water, which aims to reduce marine pollution and preserve aquatic ecosystems.

Why This Small Habit Matters

• Synthetic clothes shed up to 700,000 microplastic fibers per wash (Source: University of Plymouth).
• Most of these tiny fibers are too small to be caught by wastewater systems and end up in rivers, lakes, and oceans.
• A 2023 pilot study highlights that clothes dryers emit more microfibers into the air compared to washing machines—adding another pathway for fibers to escape into the environment. (Source: National Park Service).
• Microplastics harm marine life, contaminate seafood, and have been found in human blood and lungs.

What You Can Do Today

1. Trap Microfibers at the Source

• Use a microfiber-catching laundry bag (like Guppyfriend) or install a lint filter in your washing machine.
• These can trap up to 90% of microfibers, stopping them before they enter drains.

2. Air-Dry When You Can

• Synthetic and blended fabrics (like polyester, nylon, elastane) release even more fibers during tumble drying.
• Line-drying indoors or outdoors keeps those fibers from becoming airborne.
• Bonus: it saves energy and extends clothing life!

In Cold or Wet Weather?

• Prioritize the lint filter during winter or wet seasons when air-drying isn’t practical.
• Even just reducing dryer use for synthetics (like leggings, fleeces, and gym wear) makes a difference.

How This Supports SDG 14

• Reduces microplastic leakage into aquatic systems.
• Encourages sustainable consumption habits in everyday life.
• Helps protect coral reefs, fish, and coastal ecosystems from invisible pollutants.
• Strengthens community awareness about the hidden impact of textile care.

Bottom Line

Trap it. Line it. Save the sea.
Your next laundry load is a chance to protect life below water—one wash at a time.