Shed-free Chic: Making Apparel Plastic Free

Description:

Plastic bags have been banned and people are eliminating single use straws, but will they stop wearing clothes? Microfibers are microscopic plastic fibers that are shed from synthetic textiles like polyester, spandex and nylon. When clothes are washed and dried, these tiny plastics flow to the ocean and get launched into the air, and have been found far out to sea and in the Arctic. Their increasing concentrations are a growing concern – for both environmental and potential human health impacts. This panel will discuss how scientists, start-ups and apparel industry leaders are working to understand the impacts, develop technology to combat the issue, and innovate to reinvent the shirt on your back.