From Stains to Sustainability: a new era for fabric care?

And even when clothes are not being binned, they’re increasingly being shelved. Global clothing production has doubled over the last 15 years—and sales are not far behind. But these clothes aren’t being worn—at least, not for long. In the US, clothes are only worn for around a quarter of the global average, while in China, clothing utilization—i.e., the number of times a garment is worn before it ceases to be used—has decreased to 70% (1). Fast fashion thrives on a throwaway culture, training us to see clothes not as keepsakes, but as fleeting trends. With new collections hitting shelves weekly—or even multiple times a week—the industry keeps churning, often without fully considering the long-term impact of all those cast-off garments once they’ve served their moment. In short, people are buying more clothes than they need and are missing out on billions of dollars of value by throwing them away.

For every trend, however, there is a counter trend—and the slow fashion movement is starting to gain momentum. Although fashion may never be completely eco-friendly, slow fashion is about re-thinking how fabrics are made, how clothing is produced, how it’s used, and what happens to it at the end of the product life cycle (6). By championing slower, more considered production measures, the initiative aims to address growing consumer interest in conscious buying and to help reduce our collective environmental footprint.

Could all this be part of a wider regulatory shift in the continued war against clothing churn? This year, France amended a bill to impose bigger penalties on fast fashion brands (7)—a bold move that sends an important message to the clothing industry: change is coming. But regulation can only do so much. There’s a growing need for education, to raise awareness of how consumers can purchase clothes more mindfully and ensure proper fabric care to prolong their lifespan.

There’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to fabric care, however—especially when it comes to polyester. While some polyester fabrics are highly durable, others are more prone to pilling after repeated washing and wear, depending on the type of fabric weave. And consumers are noticing – nearly a third of French shoppers are concerned about how polyester garments hold their color, while a fifth are worried about issues like fuzzing or pilling (9). Yet this information is not front of mind for many consumers looking to keep their clothing looking fresh, and proper care techniques often fall by the wayside.

Washing at 30°C is the most common way for consumers to deal with fuzzing or pilling, while washing with similar colors or at 30°C can help manage the dulling of color. Despite this, less than half of consumers in France treat their polyester laundry differently from other fabrics, such as by using a different temperature (30°C), wash cycle or special detergent (10). Meanwhile, in Germany, consumers are coming clean about their habits too; most people still use moderate to high temperatures, such as 40°C or above, to do their laundry (11). Although today’s detergents are often efficient at low-temperature washing, there’s still a widely held belief that colder laundry cycles won’t clean garments as effectively as hotter cycles, putting the longevity of clothing at risk. So, what can be done to keep clothes in good condition and out of landfill?

But what about enzymes to ensure polyester stays looking new? There’s a rising opportunity for fabric care brands to keep up with new textile development and educate consumers on proper care for these types of fabrics – especially as polyester popularity is showing no signs of slowing down (13). This includes information on the right washing cycles as well as developing the right detergents. After all, with so many consumers interested in detergents that prevent fuzzing and pilling, and keep color vibrancy, it’s clear that there’s a gap in the market for polyester-specific solutions that work.

Polyesterase is an enzyme that is showing huge potential in this area. It was first developed 25 years ago, initially for modifying the surface of polyester fabric to enhance dye uptake. However, more research has since shown that its benefits could span even further, to help reduce pilling too (14). So, how exactly does polyesterase work?

Polyesterase is a typical enzyme, with alpha-helix and beta-plated sheet regions. The active side works to specifically break down the ester bond of the polyester, targeting the amorphous part of the fiber. Polyester can become amorphous due to mechanical friction from washing machines, when fibers become entangled—causing this part of the fabric to be softer and more flexible.

Over the years, our collective knowledge has been improved and built-upon, and now high-performance enzymes are readily developed for the laundry market at scale. This scientific expertise means that detergent manufacturers can produce laundry detergents that perform under a broad spectrum of laundering conditions to meet a range of consumer needs, such as low temperature washing or reducing steps in the washing process. With such advances cleaning up, it’s win-win for people and our planet.