The fiber damage during manufacture, use, and service of textiles leads to fragmented fiber generation. All textiles (natural, regenerated, and synthetic polymer sources) release fiber fragments. Several textile structural parameters have been studied in association with fragmented fiber release; however, there is a paucity of work on the effect of different fiber types and yarn structures on fragmented fiber release. This study elucidates the impact of key fiber types and yarn structures (rudimentary elements of textiles) on fragmented fiber release during laundry. Five different bespoke textile samples from three primary yarn structures (flat filament, textured filament, and staple yarn) from the two most employed fibers (polyethylene terephthalate and cotton) were subjected to repeated simulated washing processes to quantify shed fragmented fiber and length distribution of the collected fragmented fiber. The results show that yarn structure impacts the quantity of fragmented fiber shed and the length distribution profile. The release of fragmented fiber decreases during repeated washing of fabrics from staple and textured filament yarns, except for fabrics from flat filament yarns. The mean fragmented fiber length for all samples increases on repeated laundering. The quantity of fragmented fiber shed per gram of textile, and the length distribution profile of fragmented fiber from the woven fabrics made of the five types of yarns after the first and fifth washing cycles were estimated.

The abrasive wear of textiles during ordinary use and laundering results in fiber damage, which leads to the generation and release of fragmented fibers (FFs). Ring-spun yarn has a dominant share of about 70% of global spun yarn production. The effect of conventional and modified ring yarn structures (compact, SIRO and SIRO-compact) on FF release from cotton textiles during repeated abrasion and laundering was studied. All prepared cotton yarns and textiles are industrially and commercially relevant. The FFs formed during each abrasion and washing cycle were collected from textiles and quantified. The yarn tensile properties and fabric frictional characteristics were employed to explain the release of FFs. For the first time, the morphology of collected FF ends was associated with the fiber damage nature (granulated and fibrillated) induced by different types of stresses and experimental exposure conditions. The results demonstrated that modified ring yarn structures released a significantly lower FF mass as compared to conventional ring yarn structures. The tensile strength was decreased, and breaking elongation increased after repeated abrasion and washing. The fabric surface properties were also affected by abrasion and laundering. The yarn structure choices impact the amount of released FFs, which are dispersed into the environment as a pollutant or a carrier of pollutants with potential hazards to the health of the environment and living organisms.

This is a repository copy of Fragmented fibre (including microplastic) pollution from textiles.