Plastic-Free July: Microplastic pollution from single-use plastics and synthetic clothing

What Is Plastic-Free July?

Plastic-Free July is a global movement that began in 2011 in Australia and has since mobilized millions of people across more than 190 countries to reduce their consumption of single-use plastic. The core challenge? Commit to a month—or longer—without single-use plastics like bags, bottles, and straws. This campaign has proven effective not only in raising awareness but also in inspiring long-term behavioral change through collective action and everyday habit transformation [1].

Plastic-Free July is credited with shifting perceptions of plastic from convenience to environmental hazard, serving as an educational platform for individuals, businesses, and policymakers alike. According to studies, campaigns like these are crucial for advancing waste reduction goals and triggering systemic responses to the global plastic crisis [1,2].

However, as focus intensifies on obvious single-use plastics, one major contributor to plastic pollution often remains invisible: our clothing.

Plastic in Your Hands and on Your Skin: The Invisible Problem

When we think of plastic pollution, single-use plastics—such as bottles, bags, straws, and food packaging—often come to mind first. These items dominate everyday consumption and are used for mere minutes yet persist in the environment for centuries. However, there's another major yet less visible source of plastic pollution: the clothes we wear.

More than 60% of global textile production involves synthetic fibers like polyester, nylon, and acrylic, all derived from fossil fuels [3]. These materials are essentially plastics and, like single-use items, do not biodegrade. In fact, each time we wash synthetic garments, they release thousands of microplastic fibers into wastewater systems, which eventually find their way into rivers, oceans, and the soil. 

Research shows:

• A single polyester garment can shed over 700,000 microfibers per wash [4].
  
  
• Single-use plastics and microfibers from clothing are now found in marine life, table salt, drinking water, agricultural soil, and even inside the human body—in the lungs, blood, placenta, and digestive tract [5,6].
  
  
• Microfibers have surpassed microbeads as the dominant source of primary microplastic pollution in marine environments [7].
  

This dual crisis of disposable packaging and fast fashion represents a hidden but urgent environmental and public health challenge. Plastic-Free July, therefore, is not only about rejecting plastic straws or shopping bags. It’s an invitation to rethink the plastic in our daily habits—from what we consume to what we wear.

Plastic in Performance Synthetic Clothing

The athletic, travel, and outdoor fashion industries have long relied on synthetic fibers, widely promoting them for their elasticity, light weight, and moisture-wicking properties. Marketed as "high-performance" materials, these textiles are perceived as technologically advanced and ideal for active lifestyles. However, this convenience and functionality come at a significant cost.

From a health perspective, synthetic fabrics have been linked to various concerns. Prolonged contact with these materials—especially in warm or humid environments—can contribute to skin irritation, hormonal disruption, and respiratory issues, particularly for individuals with sensitivities or allergies [8]. Despite their intended durability, these garments often trap odors, lose shape over time, and require frequent washing, which not only accelerates their wear and tear but also increases water and energy consumption, exacerbating their environmental impact [9].

Moreover, the environmental burden of synthetic clothing is present across its entire life cycle. From the extraction of fossil fuels used to produce fibers like polyester and nylon, to the chemical-intensive manufacturing processes, and finally to their disposal—typically in landfills or through incineration—synthetic textiles contribute to significant levels of pollution. They release greenhouse gases, leach microplastics, and persist in ecosystems for decades, if not centuries, highlighting a critical disconnect between performance-driven fashion and sustainable environmental practices [10].

Fast Fashion's Microplastic Impact

The fast fashion industry further complicates this issue. By mass-producing low-cost synthetic garments, it accelerates the volume of plastic entering both landfills and waterways [11]. Each discarded shirt or pair of leggings becomes a long-term pollutant, releasing microplastics with every wash or breakdown.

Plastic-Free July is increasingly expanding its scope to raise awareness about textile-related plastic pollution, urging consumers to:

• Choose natural fibers like organic cotton, hemp, or linen.
  
  
• Reduce fast fashion consumption by prioritizing durable, ethically made clothing.
  
  
• Practice mindful laundry habits, such as washing clothes less frequently and using microfiber filters.
  

Such shifts are central to achieving a circular and regenerative fashion model aligned with environmental values [8].

Why Alpaca Wool Is Our Plastic-Free Solution

At Arms of Andes, we believe high performance shouldn’t require petrochemicals. That’s why our entire collection is built from 100% Alpaca wool—a fiber evolved in the Andes for survival and now adapted for comfort, durability, and sustainability.

Plastic-Free July, Beyond Just a Month

This campaign isn’t about temporary swaps—it’s about permanent change. Here are 5 ways to take the spirit of Plastic-Free July into your wardrobe and beyond:

Audit Your Closet:  Check your clothing labels. What percent of your wardrobe is synthetic? What pieces shed the most?

Wash Less, Wash Smart: Every wash cycle of synthetics releases fibers. Use cold water, wash less often, and skip the dryer to reduce microfiber pollution.

Avoid Greenwashing: “Recycled polyester” is still plastic. It sheds, pollutes, and doesn’t solve the root issue. Prioritize natural fibers and transparent brands.

Shop Slow: Invest in versatile pieces made to last—especially ones that perform across climates. A single alpaca wool hoodie can replace multiple synthetic layers.

Spread the Word: Use July to educate others. Host a clothing swap. Share resources. Follow the #PlasticFreeJuly hashtag and inspire others to think beyond the straw.

Arms of Andes' commitment to plastic-free July: From fiber to finish

No Synthetics in Our Fabrics: We use 100% Alpaca Wool in all garments—no polyester, nylon, or acrylic blends. Even our accessories (like hats and gaiters) follow this principle.

Plastic-Free Threads and Labels: Most brands overlook the small details. We don’t. Our garments use cotton threads and labels—fully compostable and non-toxic.

Botanical & Certified Dyes: Our dyeing methods avoid petroleum-based pigments. We use natural dyes like cochineal, indigo, and eucalyptus, or GOTS-certified low-impact dyes. No toxic runoff, no plastic coating.

Zero Plastic Packaging: Our mailers are paper-based and compostable. No polybags. No shrink wrap. No guilt.

Single-Origin Supply Chain: All production happens in Peru—from alpaca farming to spinning to sewing. This minimizes transport emissions, supports local communities, and avoids plastic-laden global supply chains.

FAQs

Isn’t all wool plastic-free?
Not always. Many wool garments are treated with superwash coatings (plastic resins) or blended with synthetics for durability. Arms of Andes uses only untreated, pure alpaca wool.

Is alpaca wool durable enough for outdoor use?
Yes. Alpaca fibers are stronger, warmer, and more breathable than sheep wool. They resist odor, dry fast, and require less frequent washing.

Is alpaca wool itchy?
Royal Alpaca fibers are 18–19 microns in diameter—finer than most merino—making them luxuriously soft and hypoallergenic.

What happens to alpaca wool at end of life?
It biodegrades in months in compost. No synthetic residue. No toxic breakdown. No landfill clutter.

Final Reflection: What We Wear Shapes the World

Plastic-Free July reminds us that sustainability doesn’t stop at the recycling bin. It continues with the clothes we wear, the choices we support, and the stories we tell.

At Arms of Andes, every thread is a rejection of plastic pollution and a commitment to something better: performance, without petrochemicals. Wool, without waste.

This July, choose what feels good on your body—and does good for the planet.

Join the movement. Wear the change. Stay plastic-free.