European Commission Can Act to Reduce Microplastic Pollution From Textiles

The Pew Charitable Trusts and 14 partner organisations – the Environmental Coalition on Standards, Changing Markets Foundation, Client Earth, Common Seas, European Environmental Bureau, Environmental Investigation Agency, Gallifrey Foundation, HEJSupport, Naturvernforbundet, No Plastic In My Sea, Ocean Now, Rethink Plastic, Seas at Risk and Surfrider Foundation Europe – sent a joint letter to the European Commission on 27 March 2026 calling for and detailing specific measures to achieve the prevention of microplastic emissions from textiles, a growing source of persistent environmental pollution in the European Union (EU).

Synthetic materials, including polyester, acrylic and nylon, make up about 60% of clothing and 70% of household textiles. The shedding of microfibres from these synthetics, which occurs throughout a textile’s life cycle – from production to everyday wear to disposal – is the fourth-largest source of microplastic pollution in the EU after paint, tyres and industrial pellets. And these microscopic pieces of plastic make their way into the air, water and even food. Once in the environment, they are almost impossible to clean up.

In December 2025, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) released a preliminary study on the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) textile delegated act – a framework to regulate environmental effects of textile products, including microplastic shedding across the product life cycle. However, the JRC study includes no proposed measures to address microplastic emissions from textiles.

In their letter, Pew and its partners outline policy options for reducing shedding across the textile life cycle – targeting manufacturing processes, product performance and design requirements – and for improving transparency about the makeup of consumer textiles. The letter urges the Commission to include these policies in the ESPR. Only by adopting a comprehensive framework that effectively reduces microfibre pollution can the EU deliver on its 2030 microplastic reduction target.