Acrylic, Explained
PFJ check-in, France's law on throwaway fashion, mattress brand renewal, and a natural-fiber wardrobe
Hi Everyone,
For the ~67% of you that said you’d participate in Plastic Free July, how is it going? It’s not too late to get involved. To learn more, this is the official site which explains it all and here is our plastic-free toolkit. For me, one small win has been getting my rapidly building collection of soft plastics out for recycling 💪
Today’s newsletter features a hidden plastic fiber to be aware of (acrylic), see more on this below.
And for those looking out for a bit of news, France has put price tag on throwaway clothes. In late June its parliament passed a new law aimed at ultra-fast fashion (like Shein and Temu). The rules include adding a small penalty to each ultra-cheap item, rising toward €10 by 2030, banning these brands from advertising (influencer posts included), and requiring their sites to point shoppers toward repairing and reusing what they already own. This is the world’s first national law treating clothing overproduction as a major issue. So something to celebrate (though of course more can always be done).
Is Acrylic Bad to Wear?
This week, I put together a guide to acrylic. I know I have quite a bit of it in my wardrobe so I was curious to understand this material better. It is essentially a soft, wool-like fiber that can be found in a lot of cheaper knits, fleece, and sweaters. It is affordable which is why we all probably own some of it.
But it is essentially made from a plastic yarn, spun from a petroleum-based polymer.
For most people the finished fabric is low-risk but it’s environmental impact is really quite poor. Acrylic sheds tiny plastic microfibers every time you wash it (one study clocked a single load at around 730,000 fibers), and it neither biodegrades nor recycles in any workable way. Plus making it can be a health hazard for workers.
There is more in the guide, including how to wash acrylic you already own so it sheds less (with a microfiber filter).
Read the guide ➜ What Is Acrylic Fabric? (And Is It Bad to Wear?)
If You’re Rethinking Synthetics
Natural fibers are the obvious counter to a closet full of plastic. If you want to swap some out, our recently shared roundup of organic and non-toxic clothing brands is a good guide. Our article sustainable fabrics breaks down which fibers are lower impact. And if you are not sure what is already hanging in your closet, how to read a clothing tag provides a helpful walk through.
Brand Ratings
🎉 Rating Renewed: PlushBeds
PlushBeds renewed their rating with us! They are a California brand making organic latex mattresses, toppers, and bedding, all handcrafted in the US. They boast plenty of important certifications including GOLS organic latex, GOTS organic cotton and wool, GREENGUARD Gold, OEKO-TEX, eco-INSTITUT, and FSC. They also run a scholarship for environmental science students, donate a share of every purchase to a charity you pick, and will recycle your old mattress in some areas.
No big changes this year to announce.
Read the Full Rating | Shop PlushBeds
Beyond fibers and plastic, what is on my mind lately is AI, and it’s impact. Like with all sustainability topics, it’s nuanced and confusing. I’m thinking of doing a guide on it. Would that be helpful?
Thank you as always,
Joy X