The Microfibre Consortium issues call to action ahead release of its new standard

Ahead of the release of its new standards, The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) has issued a call to action to the textile industry to better control microfibres in wastewater during the production of garments.

TMC is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the global textiles industry together through The Microfibre 2030 Commitment and Roadmap.

TMC proposes a wide, cross-industry adoption of the Preliminary Guidelines, ‘Control of Microfibres in Wastewater,’ within the global supply base to support the capture of unintentional fiber loss during manufacture so that an aligned and industry-wide adoption of these best practices can achieve the greatest impact.

The document is the outcome of a two-year research process conducted by TMC’s manufacturing task team, which included industry partners. It is intended to help companies better regulate microfibres in wastewater during the manufacturing of garments, according to the company.

The paper, according to TMC, is the newest tool for manufacturers to employ as part of meaningful, science-based, coordinated action on fiber fragmentation from natural and synthetic textiles. It will be available to signatories of the Microfibre 2030 Commitment starting on May 6th.

TMC worked with organizations from all across the world to produce these basic recommendations, and it is encouraging businesses to join the project and adopt the guidelines into their production processes. TMC said it will continue to work with the industry to amend and improve the guidelines contained in the document as knowledge increases.

Dr. Kelly Sheridan, head of research at The Microfibre Consortium, said that getting engaged has allowed him to combine his knowledge of writing and revising scientific publications with his forensic science background. This will ensure that the production rules are not only scientifically sound but also that they are easily communicated from top to bottom, from policymakers to manufacturers, in order to create a coordinated action plan.

TMC anticipates that with the release of Control of Microfibres in Wastewater, the basic guidelines would be widely adopted throughout industries. Support from throughout the global supply chain will enable a coordinated and industry-wide adoption of best practices that will have the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time, according to the report.

TMC claims that all businesses along the footwear and apparel value chain (i.e., brands, retailers, and their supply chain partners) have a responsibility to adopt and follow aligned cross-industry guidelines to reduce the impact of fiber fragmentation and that synthetic and natural fibers, which both shed during manufacturing, should be given equal priority.

Sophie Mather, executive director, TMC, said that to accomplish real, long-term change in the industry, they need a critical mass of action across the supply chain. Control of Microfibres in Wastewater can be a big step in the right direction, but only if enterprises are willing to follow the document’s manufacturing standards. They’ve just released their position statement to encourage others to follow their lead, get in touch, and assist them to continue to scale up the textile industry’s efforts to address challenges of fiber fragmentation at critical phases of the product lifecycle.