How to care for Recycled Plastic Apparel

How to care for recycled plastic Swimwear, Surfwear or Activewear

Are you wondering how to correctly look after your new clothing made from recycled plastics?

Recycled plastic is often used in eco-friendly swimwear, activewear and surf wear. However it is becoming more common in sustainable clothing collections.

What is fabric made from recycled plastic? These fabrics are made by recycling plastic or by turning plastic based fabric into a new material. It is important to read the tags on your clothing or visit the website of the manufacturer to discover which materials are used.

Common fabrics are:

• Econyl - Made from 100% recycled nylon recovered from marine debris, fishing nets and miscellaneous ocean waste. This fibre can be recycled over and over again without losing its quality or performance.
• Repreve yarn - Made from recycled plastic bottles, polyester clothing and industrial material turned into recycled fabric.

Recycled plastic swimwear, surfwear and activewear care instructions:

1. Rinse in freshwater. No matter if you are enjoying salt or chlorine water the garment needs to be rinsed thoroughly in freshwater as soon as possible.
2. Washing your swimwear, surfwear or activewear. Preferably only hand wash the item in cold water. Start by soaking it in natural soap for 5 to 10 minutes to assist in breaking down the oils and creams. This will reduce the shredding of microplastic. However, sometimes your swimwear or surfwear may require thorough washing. A gentle machine wash with mild detergent is okay. Do not soak, bleach or spin dry your clothing either. Separate light and dark colours before washing to avoid the colours from bleeding.
3. Do not use the dryer. Instead, line dry the sustainable clothing but avoid direct sunlight and dry it in the shade. This is to avoid the colour in the swimwear or activewear from fading. This is especially important in Australia as the sun is so powerful here. It is recommended to not hang the item either as this may cause stretching. Simply lay the garment flat to avoid stretching.
4. Correct storage. Do not pack away or store the item wet. Always make sure it’s fully dry before storing it. If the item is not fully dry this can cause mildew or mould to grow. Store your items out of direct sunlight to avoid sun bleaching or fading.
5. Avoid chemicals or lotions. Avoiding excessive contact with strong chemicals such as sunscreen lotions, make-up, and deodorant. These products could cause damage to the item. Also, chemicals in pools, saunas and spas should be avoided where possible.
6. Avoid rough surfaces. This includes pool edges, and rocks as they may damage the article of clothing or swimwear.

Do recycled plastic clothing shed microplastics? Unfortunately yes they do. Microplastics are found in synthetic fibres such as polyester and nylon. Plastic is part of the fibre and when the item is laundered the fibres start to break down and shed tiny pieces of plastic. Every time an item is washed tiny particles are shed into the waterways. Handwashing greatly reduces the number of particles released as it is less aggressive. However, a microfiber filter can be attached to your washing machine to catch these particles. This is the most effective way to reduce this pollution. A Cora ball or Guppyfriend washing bag can also be utilised to stop the pollution.

To shop sustainable swimwear, activewear and surfwear look no further than The Someday Co. With a huge selection of different brands and styles on offer your new eco-friendly outfit is available right here.