Cross-disciplinary Collaboration Challenging Microfibre Fragmentation in the Fashion and Textile Industries

Microfibre pollution caused by the fashion and textile industries has been evidenced across atmospheric, aquatic and terrestrial environments, with much research focusing on the prevalence of microfibres rather than the cause of fibre loss and where in the value chain it occurs. When assessing the environmental impact of fashion products however, microfibre fragmentation is largely overlooked and remains low on the environmental agenda. To date, this challenge has been explored from an environmental and forensic science perspective, however this research acknowledges the need for multi-disciplinary collaboration across the science and design communities. Through the positioning of evidenced based scientific data within a sustainable fashion design context, this chapter explores how this critical pollutant is being addressed by industry stakeholders considering emerging environmental governance and policy. Qualitative interviews and a design methodology framed the study, with a breadth of participants from the fashion, textile, waste management, and environmental sectors providing a comprehensive understanding of the emerging challenges being faced. These critical findings have informed the development of recommendations and directions for future action, highlighting essential steps towards the reduction and mitigation of microfibre loss across the industry.