Do low-friction coated fabrics shed more microplastics in the wash?
It depends. Coated textiles may shed fewer fibers themselves, but they can increase microplastic release from uncoated clothes washed with them.
What's actually in it
Some clothing and textile manufacturers apply low-friction coatings to fabrics. These coatings reduce how much the fabric rubs against itself, which is supposed to cut down on fiber shedding. You'll find these coatings on performance wear, athletic gear, and some everyday clothes.
The coatings themselves are chemical treatments applied to the surface of the fabric. They change how the textile interacts with other materials during washing, which is when most microplastic shedding happens.
What the research says
A 2026 study in ACS Environ Au tested what happens when coated and uncoated textiles are washed together, which is exactly what happens in a real laundry load at home.
The results were surprising. While the coated fabrics themselves shed fewer fibers, washing them alongside uncoated textiles actually increased microplastic release from those uncoated items. The coated surface changes the friction dynamics inside the washing machine, causing more fiber breakage in regular clothes.
This means a "microplastic-reducing" coated garment could make your overall laundry load release more microplastics, not fewer. The benefit to the coated piece is canceled out by the extra shedding from everything else in the wash.
To truly reduce microplastic shedding, use a microplastic-catching laundry bag, wash on gentle cycles with cold water, and keep laundry loads small.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| How Low-Friction Coatings Affect Microplastic Fiber Release When Laundering Coated and Uncoated Textiles Together. | ACS Environ Au | 2026 |
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