In the frenzy of setting trends and chasing online views, people have unknowingly created a trap for themselves. Ecover, a company that produces environmentally friendly detergents, in collaboration with Falmouth University in the UK, discovered how much online content influences people's cleaning habits. The situation is concerning enough that detergent manufacturers themselves are urging consumers to change their habits. It turns out that the stakes are high, as the ultimate reward would be the well-being of the environment around us.
How Does Laundry Affect the Environment? Trends vs. Common Sense
This type of message from a laundry detergent manufacturer was something no one expected. Ecover, seeing the results of the research conducted by Falmouth University, made the following request to consumers: Wash your clothes less often. The collected data showed that out of 2,000 Britons, 18% did not recognize any connection between how often they do laundry and the state of the environment. Even more concerning is that 1 in 10 people felt societal pressure to clean their clothes regularly.
This trend may be heavily influenced by social media profiles that promote cleaning-related content. In recent years, the hashtag #cleanwithme has been used 648,400 times on TikTok, while #cleaningobsessed has garnered 162,000 views on Instagram. August interviews also revealed that 75% of people don’t wear the same clothes again due to fear of negative judgment. Data from the UK Office for National Statistics confirms the growing "interest" in frequent laundry. In every household, the washing machine was used at least 260 times per year (on average, every 33.5 hours). This type of large-scale behavior can have serious environmental consequences. During one cycle of washing synthetic fabrics, around 8% of microplastic is released into the water. Besides how often we do laundry, it’s also crucial what detergents we use and how we use them. Many people commonly make the following mistake.
Sustainable Laundry: Clean with Care
Microplastic isn’t the only threat linked to excessive laundry. Research from the University of Exeter showed that during one cycle, about 20 million microscopic fibers are released into the environment, easily entering the food chain. A significant problem is also the misuse of detergent. A 2022 study published in the London Journal of Research in Science found that most people use twice the recommended amount of detergent. To reduce the scale of environmental damage, scientists recommend switching from powder detergents to liquid ones, which can help lower the number of microfibers released into the environment. However, the best way to lessen the negative environmental impact is to reduce the frequency of washing altogether.
We need to change our approach to the things we own
- urges British model and activist Lily Cole, who has often been judged for wearing the same outfits on the red carpet.
Build a long-term relationship with your clothes, consider how you wash them, repair them, and think about whether you can pass them on or donate them if they are no longer something you can wear for a long time
- she said in an interview with The Guardian.
