Plastic clothes are everywhere. I was disappointed to find that they contain hidden dangers.
Cons of plastic clothes
On the ABC program 'Catalyst' scientists revealed that they were finding plastic in fish. But not the high profile villans 'micro beads' but nylon and fibres found in clothing.
Fish samples taken near sewrage outlets had the highest levels of plastic. So it seems that 7 billion people with 2/3 rds of their clothing being plastic is contributing considerable amounts of plastic pollution.
Ive always preferred cotton, linen and wool. But as I get older these fabrics have got harder to find and more expensive.
Pros of plastic clothes
Cheap. Plastic clothes are cheap. Particularly from some of the large department stores. But like cheap food the full cost of cheap clothes is picked up else where. The environment is usually the area that takes the hit. Pollution via toxicity or nutrification, leading to loss of biodiverstiy.
Polar fleece is convenient. Easy to wash comes in great colours and keeps you warm.
So what to do?
I will continue to buy cotton, linen and wool. Buying second hand via op shops and ebay/gumtree etc reduces the production of plastic pollution.
Some thing else to consider is filtering the water that comes out of your washing machine.
Im now concerned that my grey water reed bed may not be dealing with my pollution in a environmentslly friendly way.
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