Nike, Patagonia, Under Armour join new microfibre pollution alliance

Nike, Patagonia, Under Armour, Lululemon, Cotopaxi and REI Co-op are among the founding members of a new industry initiative focused on reducing microfibre pollution across the apparel supply chain.

The Microfibre Action Alliance (MAA), launched by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), encourages apparel companies to collaborate the acceleration, adoption and scaling of evidence-based solutions to microfibre shedding.

The alliance will work with participating companies to identify where microfibre pollution occurs within their supply chains, test interventions and share findings with the wider industry. TNC said the aim is to build a practical, scalable roadmap that can support wider adoption of effective solutions.

Microfibres are small particles shed by synthetic and natural textiles during production, use and wear, with synthetic microfibres being among the most common forms of microplastic pollution found in nature. Treated natural fibres such as cotton and wool can also contribute to microfibre pollution.

The initiative will complement the work of The Microfibre Consortium, which focuses on developing the science, data and tools needed to reduce fibre fragmentation across the textile industry. TNC said additional companies will have the opportunity to join the alliance as it develops.

Speaking on the news, Scott Vitters, senior director of global sustainability at Nike, said the focus was on advancing solutions that can scale beyond the sportswear giant, adding that the alliance would combine scientific insight and industry collaboration to identify where pollution occurs and deploy effective interventions across the apparel value chain.

Under Armour said it will contribute its data, methodology and experience to the initiative, with senior vice president of design, innovation and development Kyle Blakely calling for low-shedding construction to be treated as an engineering parameter from the outset of product design.

Patagonia's VP of global product footprint, Matt Dwyer, underlined the pervasive microfibre pollution problem, noting the alliance seeks to create tools for apparel companies to find solutions. He added: “We’re addressing microfibres throughout our supply chain while also investing in ways to reduce shedding during our products’ lifecycles. For the health of the planet, all apparel companies can reduce microfibre shedding."