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Microfiber, Microplastics and a not so Micro-problem

I’ll confess. I used to LOVE my microfiber towels. I thought I was doing a huge service by replacing single-use paper products with those clingy, little rags that seemed to attract all the dust. But then I learned that my friendly cleaning buddy was actually kind of evil and in the most insidious of ways…

A closer look at Microfiber

Microfiber is typically made of a polyester and nylon blend, fabrics you are probably used to hearing about. You may not know that these everyday fabrics are made from petroleum by-products. In other words, these fabrics are plastic, and specifically very, very tiny strands of microplastics. Now, this wouldn’t be a problem if all that microfiber and microplastic stayed together, but every time microfiber is washed, microplastics shed, and then these tiny plastic fibers enter our water cycle.

Plastic, plastic everywhere

So what. Plastic is everywhere, how can we possibly escape it? Good question, microfibers and microplastics make it extremely difficult to escape plastic because, welp, not only do they end up in our water cycle, they end up inside of us. A recent study identified microplastics in the blood of 77% of the participants1. Microplastics can cause harm to human cells and we shouldn’t need to say this but, it REALLY SHOULDN’T BE INSIDE OUR BODIES. 

What do we do? 

It’s almost impossible to stop using plastics all together, but by decreasing the amount of plastic products that we use everyday, we limit personal exposure and decrease the amount of microplastic pollution that gets into the environment. What does this look like? 

• Be aware of the fabric blends you purchase for clothing, toweling and home use
• Read the labels on your single-use cleaning products, is that duster made from microplastics? Probably.
• Replace microfibers with 100% organic cotton alternatives

No Microplastics!

At Rosemary's, we have taken a pledge to limit our impact on the environment and have drawn a line in the sand when it comes to microplastics. Our Good Towels, Daily Napkins and kitchen towels are all made from 100% organic cotton, a natural and sustainable alternative to microfiber. We live in a disturbing reality, but the more we know, the more clear and better steps we can take.

Learn more and shop our products here.