Since synthetic materials came on the scene almost a century ago, they have grown to become the most popular choice for apparel. But the prevalence of polyester and other polymer-based fibers has come with a tiny yet pervasive problem: microplastics.

Textiles are a key contributor to microplastic pollution, as tiny plastic particles break off and enter the air and water, posing harms to humans and other living things. Polyester and other synthetics are also persistent in the environment, since microplastics and garments themselves are not readily biodegradable. 

“What do we do about this plastic and where this plastic ends up? And what does it even mean to the environment as well as to our own health?” said Dr. Jesse Daystar, chief sustainability officer and vice president, sustainability at the not-for-profit research and promotion organization Cotton Incorporated. “The world and consumers are sort of waking up to the fact that this is an issue.”

In this episode, Daystar and Yvonne Johnson, senior director, product development at Cotton Incorporated, speak with Jasmin Malik Chua, sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, about Why natural fibers are a better, more sustainable choice and what will finally move the industry away from polymer-based fibers.

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