Every time we wash our clothes, plastic microfibers break off our garments and flow directly into our rivers and oceans, harming our wildlife and subsequently our food chains. Currently, 35% of washing is the main culprit of microplastic pollution. These are scary figures right! No one is perfect but we are trying our best to reduce our impact on the planet and help others do so too.

A few weeks ago we came across a Guppyfriend which might just be the perfect solution! Here's why... 

What is a Microfiber?

Microfibers are small plastic pieces (typically less than 5 mm) of polyethylene plastic. They are found in health & beauty products, cleaning products and garments. More and more microfibers are making their way into the ocean through our water supplies and even through the air. There are more than five trillion pieces of microplastic floating in our oceans (scary figures right!). Recent studies show that seafood eaters ingest over 11,000 pieces of plastic each year and can be harmful to human bodies at certain concentrations.

Solution?

Guppyfriend is a medium-sized bag (50 x 74cm) that fits perfectly in your washing machine. Its function is to reduce our plastic waste by filtering out the tiniest pieces of plastic from our garments. Guppyfriend protects our garments and the environment by reducing the release of microfibers that break away from our clothes into our washing machines, which later flows directly into our oceans. The bag filters the few fibers that do break, while not losing any fibers itself, capturing them inside the bag.

How do you use a Guppyfriend Bag?

You can wash most of your garments inside the Guppyfriend bag safely, such as synthetic textiles. We do not recommend adding shoes or solid items in your laundry as these lead to the breakdown of significantly more fibers. Avoid using washing balls and soap nuts as they are also harmful to the ocean. You should adhere to the standard washing rules (e.g. not mixing colours or overfilling) and don’t fill the bag more than half way. Try separating soft and harder surfaced textiles to continue reducing microfiber breakdown.

How does this help the environment?

Guppyfriend is made from a self-cleaning fabric bag made out of a specifically designed micro-filter material. Once microfibers are released, they pose huge threats to wildlife and the overall state of our environment. Using the bag in every wash is not only eco-friendly, but ensures your garments get their lifetime usage.

What do you do with the released microfibers?

The microfibers must be removed from the bag and disposed of properly. These may still end up in landfill, though this is far better than flowing directly into our oceans, destroying our sea life, ecosystems and ending up in our food and water.

To find out more about the Guppyfriend bag click here.