My mother has started using microfiber tablecloths for the kitchen table in their home. These tablecloth’s work great for spills because the liquids don’t get absorbed into the cloth. This triggered further research into this mysterious fabric.
Microfiber is flammable when manufactured with polyester or cellulose; both of which release toxic gases when burned, and more chemical when treated with flame resistant chemicals. If the fabric is made with polypropylene, it is considered recyclable. While the other options of the material is polyester and nylon, which are considered nonrenewable, but these are grow able crops such as cotton.
Another important aspect of this material is the amount of pollution that is being created by washing of the materials. The microfiber particles are not stopped by washing machine filters and are thus sent to the ocean and lakes. “The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant program took samples from southern Lake Michigan in 2013, about 12 percent of the debris consisted of microfibers”. -John Flesher
John Flesher’s Article on Lake Pollution
