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The Conversation
The Conversation
Environment
Valérie S. Langlois, Professor/Professeure titulaire, Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)

Our clothes generate microplastics that pollute the St. Lawrence River and other bodies of water

Fish

Our clothes are made mainly of plastic.

Unlike cotton, which comes from a plant, polyester and the well-known spandex or lycra — which make clothes more stretchy — do not grow in nature. These are artificial fabrics made from plastic that are used in the production of synthetic textiles.

A clothing tag saying 100 per cent polyester
A study of microfibres in the Arctic Ocean found most of them were polyester, likely shed from clothing during washing. (Shutterstock)
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