Domestic Laundry and Microfiber Shedding of Synthetic Textiles
147
at different components, the home washing machines could lead to poor quantitative
analysis. Further, on the measurement of microfiber size, it is noted that the accelerated washing machine produced shorter microfiber length than the home washing
machine. This confirms the higher agitation of accelerated washing machines that
caused more breakage due to mechanical abrasion [33].
Similarly, the effect of the platen and pulsator washing machine process on
microfiber shedding quantity was measured. The results revealed that a weight loss
of 0.0068–0.12% was noted in polyester fabric. The loss percentages of 0.79–1.20%
for polyamide and 0.58–1.01% for acetate were noted. In the case of the pulsator
machine, the reduction percentage is noted higher compared to the platen machine. A
weight-loss percentage of 0.0077–0.20%, 0.89–1.69%, and 0.76–1.82% were noted,
respectively, for polyester, polyamide, and acetate fabric. Overall the researcher noted
1.08–2.13 times higher shedding in the case of a pulsator machine than a platen
machine. These findings of the researchers are in line with the previous works, who
also reported a similar effect of pulsator or laboratory machine on microfiber shedding [32]. In diverse research, the researcher used two washing machine types namely
to represent the European standard (high-efficiency modern top-load) and also to
mention the North American standard (top-load), a traditional top-loading washing
machine. The results represented that the high-efficiency top-load machines released
a comparatively lower amount of microfiber quantity than the traditional top-load
washing machine. The research reported a reduction of 69.7 and 37.4% in microfiber
shedding, respectively, for polyester fleece and performance t-shirt in high-efficiency
washing machine compared to the traditional top-load machine. Though there are
differences noted in the high-efficiency machine, the researchers believed that the
higher water ratio in the traditional washing machine must be the major cause for the
higher microfiber shedding. The microfiber shedding in different washing machines
with detergent and detergent with softener is provided in Fig. 12 [34].
The most common dispute among the research community is the use of laboratoryscale washing machines like laundrometer, Gyrowash, or Washtec P. The laboratoryscale machine uses steel balls for laundry hence many researchers believe that this
harsh treatment creates higher shedding. Similarly, whenever, the front-load and
top-load washing machines are considered, the top-load machines always released
more amount of microfibers than the front-load. The other study represented that
the use of Gyrowash protocol provided regular household laundry results [30] and
Kelly et al. reported that a tergotometer provided a better understanding of smallscale simulations [35]. The following Table 1 consolidates the existing studies and
microfiber release quantity with different washing machines.
From Table 1, it can be noticed that the majority of the studies did not compare the
effect of the type of washing used for the microfiber release estimation. No similar
research results obtained from the existing studies as each study used a different
standard and method to simulate the real-time washing. Two studies confirmed that
the use of a top-load machine sheds more microfibers than the front-load machines
[32, 43]. Out of top-load, research confirmed that the new machine performed better
147
at different components, the home washing machines could lead to poor quantitative
analysis. Further, on the measurement of microfiber size, it is noted that the accelerated washing machine produced shorter microfiber length than the home washing
machine. This confirms the higher agitation of accelerated washing machines that
caused more breakage due to mechanical abrasion [33].
Similarly, the effect of the platen and pulsator washing machine process on
microfiber shedding quantity was measured. The results revealed that a weight loss
of 0.0068–0.12% was noted in polyester fabric. The loss percentages of 0.79–1.20%
for polyamide and 0.58–1.01% for acetate were noted. In the case of the pulsator
machine, the reduction percentage is noted higher compared to the platen machine. A
weight-loss percentage of 0.0077–0.20%, 0.89–1.69%, and 0.76–1.82% were noted,
respectively, for polyester, polyamide, and acetate fabric. Overall the researcher noted
1.08–2.13 times higher shedding in the case of a pulsator machine than a platen
machine. These findings of the researchers are in line with the previous works, who
also reported a similar effect of pulsator or laboratory machine on microfiber shedding [32]. In diverse research, the researcher used two washing machine types namely
to represent the European standard (high-efficiency modern top-load) and also to
mention the North American standard (top-load), a traditional top-loading washing
machine. The results represented that the high-efficiency top-load machines released
a comparatively lower amount of microfiber quantity than the traditional top-load
washing machine. The research reported a reduction of 69.7 and 37.4% in microfiber
shedding, respectively, for polyester fleece and performance t-shirt in high-efficiency
washing machine compared to the traditional top-load machine. Though there are
differences noted in the high-efficiency machine, the researchers believed that the
higher water ratio in the traditional washing machine must be the major cause for the
higher microfiber shedding. The microfiber shedding in different washing machines
with detergent and detergent with softener is provided in Fig. 12 [34].
The most common dispute among the research community is the use of laboratoryscale washing machines like laundrometer, Gyrowash, or Washtec P. The laboratoryscale machine uses steel balls for laundry hence many researchers believe that this
harsh treatment creates higher shedding. Similarly, whenever, the front-load and
top-load washing machines are considered, the top-load machines always released
more amount of microfibers than the front-load. The other study represented that
the use of Gyrowash protocol provided regular household laundry results [30] and
Kelly et al. reported that a tergotometer provided a better understanding of smallscale simulations [35]. The following Table 1 consolidates the existing studies and
microfiber release quantity with different washing machines.
From Table 1, it can be noticed that the majority of the studies did not compare the
effect of the type of washing used for the microfiber release estimation. No similar
research results obtained from the existing studies as each study used a different
standard and method to simulate the real-time washing. Two studies confirmed that
the use of a top-load machine sheds more microfibers than the front-load machines
[32, 43]. Out of top-load, research confirmed that the new machine performed better