I spend a lot of time outdoors and wearing fleece jackets seemed a good use of recycled plastic. I now learn that every time I wash them, I pollute the oceans with microscopic fibres. If they go to landfill, they will presumably stay there for hundreds of years and may leach toxins into the environment. Should I continue to wear them? What is the best way of disposing of them?
• Synthetic garments have at least twice the carbon footprint of natural fibre ones, yet producing them uses much less water and no pesticides or artificial fertilisers. But it is difficult to get the all-weather protection afforded by synthetics using natural fibres.
Synthetic garments should be disposed of through clothing recycling schemes where they will be reused or shredded and either made into new yarn or some other plastic product.
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Unfortunately, though, recycling the material in a fleece can’t continue forever: the material will eventually become too contaminated to reuse and will then enter the waste stream.
Filters are being developed to stop the release of microplastics from washing machines, along with filter bags to wash your clothes in – one is already available, the Guppyfriend.
Anthony Roberts
Rushden, Northamptonshire, UK
• Alice Klein’s article on recycling clothing (10 November 2018, p 10) provides an answer. Given the excellent insulating properties of fleeces, they could be made into insulating bricks or boards.
Alastair Mouat
Kilbucho, Peeblesshire, UK
• It is definitely worth getting rid of your fleece jacket. Although it may seem like one person doesn’t make any difference, it is all about starting an eco-friendly movement. If you don’t want to go down this route, simply taking care of the jacket and laundering it less would help.
Henry O’Regan
Harpenden, Hertfordshire, UK
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