Engineering:Microfiber

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Microfiber (US English) or microfibre (UK English) is synthetic fiber made of threads finer than one denier or one detex with a diameter of less than ten micrometers.

The most common types of microfiber cloth are made of polyesters, polyamides (e.g., nylon, Kevlar, Nomex), and combinations of polyester, polyamide, and polypropylene. Microfiber cloth is used to make mats, knits, and weaves, for apparel, upholstery, industrial filters, and cleaning products. The shape, size, and combinations of synthetic fibers are chosen for specific characteristics, including softness, toughness, absorption, water repellence, electrostatics, and filtering ability.


History

Production of ultra-fine fibers (finer than 0.7 denier) dates to the late 1950s, using melt-blown spinning and flash spinning techniques. Initially, only fine staples of random length could be manufactured and very few applications were found.[1] Then came experiments to produce ultra-fine fibers of a continuous filament: the most promising experiments were made in Japan in the 1960s, by Miyoshi Okamoto, a scientist at Toray Industries.[2] Okamoto's discoveries and those of Toyohiko Hikota led to many industrial applications, including Ultrasuede, one of the first successful synthetic microfibers, which entered the market in the 1970s. Microfiber's use in the textile industry then expanded. Microfibers were first publicized in the early 1990s, in Sweden, and saw success as a product in Europe over the course of the decade.

Preparation of microfibers

A circle cross section resembling the cross section of an orange with the core and spokes in red labeled "1" and the wedges in black labeled "2".
Illustration of the cross section of an "orange" bicomponent filament before splitting. The red (1) is often nylon while the black (2) is often polyester.

Microfibers are produced either by twisting long extruded continuous filaments or by combining small staple fibers using heat and/or force. Continuous filaments can either be single component, most often polyester, or bicomponent fiber, most often polyester and polyamide (nylon). To make even smaller fibers, bicomponent fibers are often split.[3]

Splitting bicomponent fibers is accomplished by making filaments out of incompatible polymers (e.g. polyester and nylon) and then separating them using physical or chemical treatments. The cross section of the materials in the filament before separating may look like the cross section of an orange, lending them the name, "orangle bico fibers."[4] Another bicomponent continuous filament microfiber production method, called island-in-sea, involves extruding "islands" of thin polymers fibers (often polyester, nylon, or both) in a sacrificial "sea" matrix which is later dissolved away using a solvent, leaving only the thin "island" strands behind.[4]

Apparel

Clothing

Microfiber fabrics are synthetic and frequently used for athletic wear, such as cycling jerseys, because the microfiber material wicks moisture (perspiration) away from the body; subsequent evaporation cools the wearer.

Microfiber can be used to make tough, very soft fabric for clothing, often used in skirts, jackets, bathrobes, and swimwear. Microfiber can be made into Ultrasuede, a synthetic imitation of suede leather, which is cheaper and easier to clean and sew than natural suede leather.

Accessories

Microfiber is used to make many accessories that traditionally have been made from leather: wallets, handbags, backpacks, book covers, shoes, cell phone cases, and coin purses. Microfiber fabric is lightweight, durable, and somewhat water repellent, so it makes a good substitute.

Another advantage of microfiber fabric (compared to leather) is that it can be coated with various finishes and can be treated with antibacterial chemicals. Fabric can also be printed with various designs, embroidered with colored thread, and heat-embossed.

Other uses

Textiles for cleaning

Microfiber cloth for cleaning screens and lenses
Microfiber mop with Velcro back for fastening on handle


Microfiber can be electrostatically charged for special purposes like filtration.Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag[5]

Microfiber textiles designed for cleaning clean on a microscopic scale. According to tests, using microfiber materials to clean a surface reduces bacteria by 99%, whereas a conventional cleaning material reduces bacteria by only 33%.[6] Microfiber cleaning tools also absorb fat and grease and their electrostatic properties allow them to attract dust strongly.

Microfiber cloths are also used to clean photographic lenses as they absorb oily matter without being abrasive or leaving a residue, and are sold by major manufacturers such as Sinar, ZEISS, Nikon and Canon. Small microfiber cleaning cloths are commonly sold for cleaning computer screens, cameras, phones and eyeglasses.

Cloth for cleaning glasses

Microfiber is unsuitable for some cleaning applications as it accumulates dust, debris, and particles. Sensitive surfaces (such as all high-tech coated surfaces e.g. CRT, LCD and plasma screens) can easily be damaged by a microfiber cloth if it has picked up grit or other abrasive particles during use. One way to minimize the risk of damage to flat surfaces is to use a flat, non-rugged microfiber cloth, as these tend to be less prone to retaining grit.

Rags made of microfiber must only be washed with regular laundry detergent, not oily, self-softening, soap-based detergents. Fabric softener must not be used;[7] the oils and cationic surfactants in the softener and self-softening detergents will clog up the fibers and make them less absorbent until the oils are washed out. Hot temperatures may also cause microfiber cloth to melt or become wrinkled.[7]

Insulation

Microfiber materials such as PrimaLoft are used for thermal insulation as a replacement for down feather insulation in sleeping bags and outdoor equipment, because of their better retention of heat when damp or wet. Microfiber is also used for water insulation in automotive car covers. Depending on the technology the fiber manufacturer is using, such material may contain from 2 up to 5 thin layers, merged. Such combination ensures not only high absorption factor, but also breathability of the material, which prevents the greenhouse effect.

Basketballs

The NBA introduced a microfiber ball for the 2006–07 season following its introduction by FIBA.[8] The ball, manufactured by Spalding, did not require a leather ball's "break-in" period of use. Microfiber has the ability to absorb water and oils, making the ball less slippery as sweat from players touching the ball is better absorbed.[8] Over the course of the season, the league received many complaints from players who found that the ball bounced differently from leather balls, and that it left cuts on their hands.[9] On January 1, 2007, the league scrapped the use of all microfiber balls and returned to leather basketballs.[9]

Other

Microfiber is also used for other applications such as making menstrual pads, cloth diaper inserts, body scrubbers, face mitts, whiteboard cleaners, and various goods that need to absorb water and/or attract small particles.

In the medical world, the properties of microfibers are used in the coating of certain fabric sheets used to strengthen the original material.[3]

Environmental and safety issues

Microfiber textiles tend to be flammable if manufactured from hydrocarbons (polyester) or carbohydrates (cellulose) and emit toxic gases when burning, more so if aromatic (PET, PS, ABS) or treated with halogenated flame retardants and azo dyes.[10] Their polyester and nylon stock are made from petrochemicals, which are not a renewable resource and are not biodegradable.

For most cleaning applications they are designed for repeated use rather than being discarded after use.[11] An exception to this is the precise cleaning of optical components where a wet cloth is drawn once across the object and must not be used again as the debris collected are now embedded in the cloth and may scratch the optical surface.

Microfiber products also enter the oceanic water supply and food chain similarly to other microplastics.[12] Synthetic clothing made of microfibers that are washed release materials and travel to local wastewater treatment plants, contributing to plastic pollution in water. A study by the clothing brand Patagonia and University of California, Santa Barbara, found that when synthetic jackets made of microfibers are washed, on average 1.7 grams (0.060 oz) of microfibers are released from the washing machine. These microfibers then travel to local wastewater treatment plants, where up to 40% of them enter into rivers, lakes, and oceans where they contribute to the overall plastic pollution.[13][14] Microfibers account for 85% of man-made debris found on shorelines worldwide.[15][12] Fibers retained in wastewater treatment sludge (biosolids) that are land-applied can persist in soils.[16]

Regulations

United States

In 2018, the state of California passed a bill which would mandate that all clothes made with 50%+ polyester have warning labels regarding microfiber shedding in laundry.[17] Then in 2024, the state passed a bill mandating that all new washing machines in California must have microfiber filtration systems from 2029 and on.[17]

In 2018, the New York State Assembly passed a bill that would require clothing made with 50%+ polyester and other synthetic fibers to be issued a warning label that they contain microfibers.[18]

In 2018, the Connecticut General Assembly passed 2 bills that would educate consumers on the dangers of microfibers through awareness camps and programs.[18]

There are currently no substantial nationwide regulations for microfiber pollution from laundry.[19]However, in recent years, there have been more serious efforts done to regulate microfiber pollution nationwide, especially as household laundry has become an ever more known source of the issue.[20] In 2020, then President Donald Trump signed into law the Save Our Seas 2.0 act, and in it the Interagency Marine Debris Coordinating Committee (IMDCC) to release a report on microfiber pollution and how the government could take measures to reduce the issue.[21] There has also been legislation introduced to take a harder approach against microfiber pollution,  with congressman Mike Levin introducing the "Fighting Fibers Act of 2025" in July 2025, which if passed would require all washing machines nationwide to have microfiber filtration systems installed by 2030.[22]

In 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection agency had proposed multiple solutions to the issue of microfibers including reducing laundry emissions, creating non degradable textiles, and containing microfibers in areas that prevent them from escaping into the environment.[23]


See also

References

  1. ↑ Nakajima T, Kajiwara K, McIntyre J E, 1994. Advanced Fiber Spinning Technology . Woodhead Publishing, pp. 187–188
  2. ↑ Kanigel, Robert, 2007. Faux Real: Genuine Leather and 200 Years of Inspired Fakes . Joseph Henry Press, pp. 186–192
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mukhopadhyay, Samrat (September 2002). "Microfibres—An overview" (in en-US). Indian Journal of Fibre and Textile Research 27: 312. ISSN 0975-1025. http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/handle/123456789/22858. Retrieved October 20, 2023. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Rahman Khan, Md. Khalilur (2021-05-04). "A Review Study on Bicomponent (Bico) Fibre/ Filament". Journal of Textile Science & Fashion Technology 8 (2). doi:10.33552/JTSFT.2021.08.000681. https://irispublishers.com/jtsft/fulltext/a-review-study-on-bicomponent-bico-fibre-filament.ID.000681.php. 
  5. ↑ Sustainable Hospitals Project, University of Massachusetts Lowell. 10 Reasons to Use Microfiber Mopping.
  6. ↑ UC Davis Health System: Newroom — UC Davis Pioneers Use Of Microfiber Mops In Hospitals. Ucdmc.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved on 2010-12-01.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Discover Microfiber Clothes and Linens and How to Use and Wash Them" (in en). https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-wash-microfiber-clothes-2145813. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 NBA Introduces New Game Ball . NBA.com, June 28, 2006.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Josh Hart, NBA to Take Microfiber Basketball and Go Home . National Ledger, December 12, 2006.
  10. ↑ Braun, Emil; Levin, Barbara C. (1986). "Polyesters: A Review of the Literature on Products of Combustion and Toxicity". Fire and Materials 10 (3–4): 107–123. doi:10.1002/fam.810100304. http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/fire86/PDF/f86012.pdf. Retrieved 2012-12-02. 
  11. ↑ Barbara Flanagan, The Case of the Missing Microfiber. I.D., April 22, 2008.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Browne, Mark Anthony; Crump, Phillip; Niven, Stewart J.; Teuten, Emma; Tonkin, Andrew; Galloway, Tamara; Thompson, Richard (2011). "Accumulation of microplastic on shorelines worldwide: Sources and sinks". Environmental Science & Technology 45 (21): 9175–9179. doi:10.1021/es201811s. PMID 21894925. 
  13. ↑ "Project Findings". http://brenmicroplastics.weebly.com/project-findings.html. 
  14. ↑ O'Connor, Mary Catherine (2016-06-20). "Patagonia's New Study Finds Fleece Jackets Are a Serious Pollutant" (in en). Outside Online. https://www.outsideonline.com/2091876/patagonias-new-study-finds-fleece-jackets-are-serious-pollutant. 
  15. ↑ Paddison, Laura (2016-09-26). "Single clothes wash may release 700,000 microplastic fibres, study finds" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/sep/27/washing-clothes-releases-water-polluting-fibres-study-finds. 
  16. ↑ Zubris, Kimberly Ann V.; Richards, Brian K. (November 2005). "Synthetic fibers as an indicator of land application of sludge". Environmental Pollution 138 (2): 201–211. doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2005.04.013. PMID 15967553. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Luzi, Beatrice; Carnevale Miino, Marco; Rada, Elena Cristina; Zullo, Rosa; Baltrocchi, Alberto Pietro Damiano; Torretta, Vincenzo; Galafassi, Silvia (2025-06-01). "Critical review of microfiber release from textiles: Results, comparative challenges, mitigation strategies, and legislative perspectives". Chemosphere 378. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2025.144394. ISSN 0045-6535. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0045653525003376. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Ramasamy, Rathinamoorthy; Subramanian, Raja Balasaraswathi (2021-08-01). "Synthetic textile and microfiber pollution: a review on mitigation strategies" (in en). Environmental Science and Pollution Research 28 (31): 41596–41611. doi:10.1007/s11356-021-14763-z. ISSN 1614-7499. 
  19. ↑ "What You Should Know About Microfiber Pollution". July 28, 2020. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/documents/article_2_microfibers_formatted.pdf. 
  20. ↑ Hazlehurst, Alice; Tiffin, Lucy; Sumner, Mark; Taylor, Mark (2023-03-01). "Quantification of microfibre release from textiles during domestic laundering" (in en). Environmental Science and Pollution Research 30 (15): 43932–43949. doi:10.1007/s11356-023-25246-8. ISSN 1614-7499. PMID 36680713. 
  21. ↑ Feltman-Frank, Arie T. (2024-04-25). "Federal and State Efforts to Address Synthetic Microfiber Pollution from Textiles" (in en-US). https://environblog.jenner.com/2024/04/25/federal-and-state-efforts-to-address-synthetic-microfiber-pollution-from-textiles/. 
  22. ↑ Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49 (2025-07-23). "Text - H.R.4694 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Fighting Fibers Act of 2025". https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4694/text. 
  23. ↑ Moody-Wood, Krystle; Box, Carolynn; Neusner, Gabriella; Herring, Carlie; Nandi, Romell; Bathersfield, Nizanna (March 31, 2023). "The United States Federal Plan to Address Microfiber Pollution". https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/The%20United%20States%20Federal%20Plan%20to%20Address%20Microfiber%2031Mar2023.pdf. 



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