Science
What science says, what we do
From microplastics to house dust mites, we set out the scientific context behind our material choices, with sources. The figures here are general scientific data, not the performance of any product.
Scale
A difference at a scale the eye cannot see
- 01
60–80 µm
A human hair
A human hair is roughly 60–80 micrometres in diameter; one of the finest things the eye can make out.7
- 02
≈ 10 µm
A microfibre
The term microfibre is generally used for fibres of 1 dtex or less. A 1 dtex polyester fibre is about 10 µm in diameter: roughly one-seventh of a human hair.
- 03
≈ 3 µm
A microfilament
Continuous filaments down to 0.1 dtex are about 3 µm in diameter. In a surface made of fibres this fine, the spaces between the fibres also become smaller.
- 04
< 10 µm
The barrier threshold
A laboratory study showed that fabrics with pores smaller than 10 µm kept house dust mite allergen below the detection limit.6
Fibre diameters are calculated from the definition of dtex (grams per 10,000 metres) and the density of polyester (1.38 g/cm³).
Plastics and microplastics: the global picture
Textiles sit on the unseen side of the plastics problem: washing synthetic fibres is one of the largest sources of primary microplastics reaching the oceans.
353 million tonnes
Plastic waste generated worldwide in 20191
9%
Share of this waste recycled and reused1
19–23 million tonnes
Plastic waste entering lakes, rivers and seas every year2
16–35%
Estimated share of primary microplastics in the oceans that comes from washing synthetic textiles34
House dust mites and the physical barrier
House dust mites are one of the main indoor sources of perennial allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma.5
The barrier approach relies on structure, not on a chemical treatment: when fibres are packed densely enough, allergen-carrying particles cannot pass through the surface, while air still can.6
A product's barrier performance is shared only together with that product's test report and within the scope of that report.
Three principles of the microfilament structure
These are material principles; the values for a given product are stated in that product's documentation.
Sources
- 1OECD (2022). Global Plastics Outlook: Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options. OECD Publishing, Paris. doi.org/10.1787/de747aef-en
- 2Borrelle, S. B. et al. (2020). Predicted growth in plastic waste exceeds efforts to mitigate plastic pollution. Science 369(6510), 1515–1518. doi.org/10.1126/science.aba3656
- 3Boucher, J. & Friot, D. (2017). Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources. IUCN, Gland. doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.CH.2017.01.en
- 4European Environment Agency (2022). Microplastics from textiles: towards a circular economy for textiles in Europe. EEA briefing. www.eea.europa.eu/publications/microplastics-from-textiles-towards-a-circular-economy-for-textiles-in-europe
- 5Calderón, M. A. et al. (2015). Respiratory allergy caused by house dust mites: What do we really know?. J Allergy Clin Immunol 136(1), 38–48. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2014.10.012
- 6Vaughan, J. W. et al. (1999). Evaluation of materials used for bedding encasement: effect of pore size in blocking cat and dust mite allergen. J Allergy Clin Immunol 103(2), 227–231. doi.org/10.1016/S0091-6749(99)70495-1
- 7Wolfram, L. J. (2003). Human hair: a unique physicochemical composite. J Am Acad Dermatol 48(6 Suppl), S106–S114. doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2003.276
Source 1
OECD (2022). Global Plastics Outlook: Economic Drivers, Environmental Impacts and Policy Options. OECD Publishing, Paris.
Source 2
Borrelle, S. B. et al. (2020). Predicted growth in plastic waste exceeds efforts to mitigate plastic pollution. Science 369(6510), 1515–1518.
Source 3
Boucher, J. & Friot, D. (2017). Primary Microplastics in the Oceans: A Global Evaluation of Sources. IUCN, Gland.
Source 4
European Environment Agency (2022). Microplastics from textiles: towards a circular economy for textiles in Europe. EEA briefing.
Source 5
Calderón, M. A. et al. (2015). Respiratory allergy caused by house dust mites: What do we really know?. J Allergy Clin Immunol 136(1), 38–48.
Source 6
Vaughan, J. W. et al. (1999). Evaluation of materials used for bedding encasement: effect of pore size in blocking cat and dust mite allergen. J Allergy Clin Immunol 103(2), 227–231.
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