How Green Is It… To Use Mesh Laundry Bags?

by The Green Living Detective 8,730 views2

how green is it to use mesh laundry bags

For awhile, it seemed like we had eco-friendly laundry down. Wash in cold water, buy eco-friendly laundry detergent, replace fabric softener with vinegar, skip the dryer if you can. When you can’t, replace dryer sheets with wool dryer balls.

Turns out, we’re missing one of the most environmentally destructive parts of the laundry cycle.

While exact estimates vary, one load of laundry releases anywhere from 1,900 to 700,000 to one million microfibers.

Why are we so worried about microfibers?

Less than five millimeters in length with diameters less than one-thousandth of a millimeter, microfibers evade most sewage treatments. Meaning they slip through the fine mesh and end up in our oceans, rivers and streams, only to be ingested by marine life.

The effects of microfibers in the ocean and in the food chain can not be overstated.

Found in Arctic ice , in commercial fish and shellfish and even in the Mariana Trench, microfibers from our clothes contribute about 35% of all the microplastics in the ocean.

While we wait for textile manufacturers to design fabrics that shed less, we need an immediate solution.

Like the mesh laundry bag.

Mesh laundry bags can capture 99% of fibers from your washing machine, while allowing water and soap to pass freely.

Once they’re trapped, you remove them by hand and toss them in the trash. While not good for those of you measuring your waste by the mason jar, for the environment, it’s a better option. Landfills, while far from perfect, are designed to catch pollution far better than the open ocean is.

As a bonus, mesh laundry bags keep items separated during the washing cycle. So if you’re doing laundry for a houseful of people and you’re sick of figuring out whose sock is whose, this solves multiple problems.

So… How Green Is It To Use Mesh Laundry Bags?

Really Green

Best Green Solution: Check out the Story of Stuff and their video on microfibers and wear natural fibers like cotton and wool, even with their imperfections.

Don’t be tempted: Stop washing clothes so often, especially synthetic clothing, including microfiber cleaning cloths.


The Green Living Detective

One day, I just couldn't wash out the squishy peanut butter jar one more time. But I didn't know what was the most responsible way to get rid of it. So, I became the Green Living Detective. I spend the time doing rigorous research on green living questions so you don't have to. When I'm not the Green Living Detective, I am an environmental copywriter and mom of one kiddo who holds me to higher green living standards than I might do on my own. Progress Over Perfection, I keep telling her.

Comments (2)

  1. I enjoyed reading this, especially as I’m trying to figure out just how much I need to change in my laundry habits. Most of the mesh laundry bags I’ve found are also polyester, however.

    Won’t the microplastics of the bag also wash down the drain? Or is it a situation where the benefits of catching more microplastics from other clothing outweighs the amount of microplastics released from the mesh laundry bag?

    If you have any non-polyester mesh laundry bags you recommend I’d love to hear your thoughts!

    1. I was wondering about the same thing!

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