GUPPYFRIEND wash bag
The problem
With each wash, countless plastic fibres from synthetic textiles are making their way from washing machines into rivers and oceans.
Once in the environment, the microfibres concentrate pervasive bacteria and pollutants. They are consumed by aquatic organisms, which can result in gastrointestinal infections and blockages, reproductive problems, and starvation – problems that ultimately work their way up the food chain.
According to a study from the University of California in Santa Barbara, a city the size of Berlin releases a wash related volume of microfibres equivalent to approx. 500,000 plastic bags - every single day.
Our solution:
The Guppyfriend Washing Bag is a pragmatic solution to prevent microfibres from entering our rivers and oceans.
Its soft surface results in less fibre breakage and thus extends your garments lifetime. The microfibres that break
during washing are captured inside the bag. The bag itself does not lose any fibres.
How it works
1. Put synthetic textiles into the Guppyfriend Washing Bag.
2. Close the washing bag and put it in the washing machine. Add other, non-synthetic, textiles and wash as usual.
3. Take the textiles from the Guppyfriend Washing Bag while they’re still wet.
4. Remove the collected fibres from the inside of the filter fabric by hand and dispose of them in the residual waste.
Instructions for use:
• Fill to about 2/3full - so that the textiles can easily move around in the bag
• Add other (non-synthetic) garments or a second filled Guppyfriend Washing Bag - to avoid imbalance
• Wash at 40 C maximum
• Use liquid and natural detergents without synthetics
• Remove coarse dirt and pet hair before washing
• Slide the zipper into the „garage“ at the end of the zipper
Please avoid:
• Rinsing under running water - to prevent the collected microplastic fibres from being washed into the
environment
• Washing sharp-edged objects - to avoid damaging the material
• Ironing - this can also damage the material (the crumpled surface is not a problem)
• Use in the tumble dryer – collected fibres can get out of the bag
• Hang/dry in direct sunlight - to avoid damaging the material
Recycling
The Guppyfriend Washing Bag is entirely made of polyamide 6.6 and can be recycled with identical materials.
Please remove the zipper before disposing of the bag.
Long-term solutions
The Guppyfriend Washing Bag cannot be the only solution. Our consumption behaviour needs to change radically;
new materials and washing machine filters need to be developed.
This might take a while.
Until then your Guppyfriend Washing Bag is a practical and effective way to reduce the
plastic pollution in our rivers and oceans.
More information at www.guppyfriend.com
Free Download.
Wash better
When washing synthetic textiles plastic fibres are released into the environment.
Ten easy pointers that guide us to reflect on our washing behaviour to reduce micro plastic pollution.
