Microplastics motivate Patagonia and Samsung
US-based consumer electronics trade show CES, organised by the country’s Consumer Technology Association every year, concluded in Las Vegas recently.
Of particular note was an announcement made by South Korean multinational Samsung early on in the convention, which revealed the company’s ongoing collaboration with California-headquartered outdoor apparel brand Patagonia on a new kind of washing machine.
According to Samsung, the intention behind this equipment, still under construction as of yet, is to address the perceived need to stem the tide of microplastics across the globe. Specifically, in this instance, the primary microplastics released from laundry machines when synthetic textiles such as fleece or chemical fibres like nylon or elastane, for example, are washed.
Patagonia’s director of philosophy, Vincent Stanley, highlighted microplastics shed from the brand’s fleece jackets as a particular area of concern for his company.
In a video address to CES attendees, Mr Stanley stated: “This is a serious problem and not one we can solve on our own, but for a long time no one could help us. A few months ago, we started a conversation with leaders from Samsung, including their sustainability team, on ways for washers to filter microplastic fibres.
“Samsung’s engineers took this problem to heart and are working to develop a very sophisticated new washer that will be able to filter microplastic waste and keep it out of the water. This is a perfect example of the kind of collaboration we all need to help turn the tide of climate change and restore nature to health.”
