Microfibres: The Story So Far

Finisterre define the microfibre problem as fibres which are released from textiles through fabric production and consumer use – largely from the washing of clothes at the consumer stage. The issue has been widely misreported, and is often lumped in with the debate on microplastics, but sadly it is a problem that affect most textiles; from cotton to synthetic fibres. These small fragments of fibre find their way into the water system and ultimately make their way all the way to the sea where they affect the marine environment and may be mistaken for food by fish and other wildlife, eventually making their way into our own food chain.

One of the greatest challenges we face in tackling this issue is that research on microfibres is still very much in its early stages. It’s not as simple as saying some textiles are good, and some are bad. There simply isn’t yet enough knowledge within the scientific community to give us definitive answers, which is why Finisterre has taken the approach to back the science and avoid jumping to any conclusions until the findings are in.

The scale of the problem means it’s an issue that can only be solved with collaboration across brands, industry partners and scientists. We all need to work together, and that’s why in 2018 Finisterre became a founding member of The Microfibre Consortium – a collection of brands and manufacturers pushing for further research and practical solutions to be used within the textile industry. As a producer of clothing and with our passion to protect the natural world, we feel a huge responsibility to understand and reverse the impact of the microfibres problem.

Let’s be honest; we know that every product we make comes with some cost to the environment. So at Finisterre we’re committed to minimising that cost wherever possible – from working with pioneers in sustainable manufacture, to selecting the most low impact materials available, championing recycled fabrics that last a lifetime and organic textiles that slash the water usage for the same product. We’re also investing in sustainable innovation in the sphere of bioplastics and biodegradable plastics, from product to packaging, including our Leave No Trace product bags. These materials offer an exciting prospect for the future of plastic; keeping all the useful bits of plastic in – like durability and longevity – but minimising the environmental impacts at the end of life.

As a brand Finisterre use an even balance of both natural fibres and synthetics, with our top textile use shared across organic cotton, recycled polyester and wool. Wool in particular has come out as one of the positive stories in this debate, with a spectrum of scientific studies suggesting that it is likely to break down before reaching the marine environment, and as wool is naturally antibacterial it requires less washing anyway. We've made a commitment to increasing wool content in our products and reducing non-biodegradable blends across the range.

It’s a start, but there is much to be done to address the microfibre issue and so in 2022 we signed the Microfibre 2030 Commitment. This formal commitment brings together brands, industry partners and scientists to contribute to the development of knowledge and the identification of fibre fragmentation solutions. In 2023 we will also begin testing a selection of our own fabrics to aid this research. 

If you’re particularly worried about your clothes shedding microfibres when you wash them, there are things you can do to help minimise their impact: