Tag Archives: microplastic

Samsung Less Microfiber Filters stop our laundry from destroying our oceans

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Sometimes it’s the small things that can have the biggest impacts because they’re taken for granted until they snowball into a catastrophe. Small pieces of trash thrown haphazardly gather to become mounds of garbage that block drains and cause floods. Even the way we clean our clothes, unbeknownst to us, can actually kill our seas and oceans in the long run. That’s the unfortunate side effect of having microplastics in the textiles we use, too small to distinguish from the wastewater we drain out of our washing machines. Fortunately, we now know better, and companies like Samsung are lending a helping hand to make sure that our personal hygiene won’t be causing harm to the planet for generations to come.

Designer: Samsung

Given how essential they are both to our comfort and our style, we take for granted what mass-produced clothes are made of. Unfortunately, the synthetic textiles used in many of them actually shed small pieces of plastic or microplastics in our wash. Of course, we simply drain the dirty water like any other, and these microplastics find their way into our oceans, along with the other bits of broken-down plastics from the garbage we carelessly throw away.

Now that the microfiber cat is out of the bag, eco-conscious people are moving quickly to clean up the mess, literally and figuratively. Since it will be next to impossible to immediately change the textile that produces these microplastics, the most efficient solution would be to stop laundry machines from spitting out these minute particles in the first place. That’s where Samsung’s new Less Microfiber Filter comes in, promising to capture as much as 98% of these microplastics before they even hit the drain. The company says that this mass is equivalent to eight 500ml plastic bottles per year if the wash is used four times a week.

The filter is designed with a rather minimalist aesthetic and can be mounted on top of any standard washing machine, not just Samsung’s. The box itself is made from recycled plastics and is shipped in sustainable packaging. It’s also engineered to be long-lasting, maintainable, and convenient to use, requiring cleaning about once a month only. The filter works in conjunction with Samsung’s new Less Microfiber Cycle mode launched last year, which attempts to reduce the shedding of microplastics during washing.

Samsung’s filter, which is available only in South Korea and the UK for now, isn’t the only solution available today. What makes this launch important, however, is the acknowledgment of a major appliance maker of a problem that very few people are aware of. As one of the biggest washing machine manufacturers, it also has an equally big responsibility in righting this wrong, and the filter is a nice and admittedly stylish first step in that direction.

The post Samsung Less Microfiber Filters stop our laundry from destroying our oceans first appeared on Yanko Design.

This innovative machine keeps the planet clean while you get your laundry done

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There are two chores that seem to be universally disliked or avoided by people of all ages. Washing dishes is one of those, even though it’s probably an easier task than most. Doing laundry, on the other hand, is indeed more laborious, especially if you consider that putting clean clothes away is part of the process. We have all sorts of advanced machines and substances that try to make life easier in that regard, but only as far as humans are concerned. It might come as a surprise that keeping our clothes clean can actually have a detrimental effect on the environment, though not because of the activity itself. Modern-day clothes and fabrics are at the heart of the problem, and this small yet ingenious device solves that in a way that won’t harm the environment in the long run, either.

Designer: Adam Root of Matter

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 $280 (40% off). Hurry, only 18/475 left! Raised over $115,000.

Gulp – The design stops microplastic pollution from your laundry, with zero additional filter costs and no disposable parts.

We take clothes for granted because most of them are cheap to make and look harmless as far as sustainability goes. It’s a rather dirty secret of the textile and fashion industry, however, that many of the materials and processes used to make most fabrics are harming the planet. In addition to toxic chemicals used in dying fabrics, there are microplastics in the synthetic fibers used in making our clothes, tiny particles that eventually make their way into the ocean from our laundry and damage the marine ecosystem. Almost like poetic irony, these microplastics eventually end up in our water, food, and air and eventually enter our bodies.

More environment-conscious people may utilize laundry filters to separate those microplastics before they get released into waterways. Unfortunately, these filters themselves pose risks to the very environment they claim to protect, mostly because their filters have to be replaced and thrown away eventually, not to mention parts that have to be replaced regularly as well. In stark contrast, Gulp offers a holistic solution that simplifies the entire equation to make it effective and efficient every step of the way. No filters or parts to replace, no additional waste, and no harmful microplastics.

Gulp’s simple looks belie the advanced technology and design at work in this washing machine filter. You simply put the device on top or beside your washing machine and hook one end to the washing machine wastewater hose and the other end to your actual wastewater outlet. You then plug Gulp into a mains electric socket and go about your laundry as usual. You don’t need to adjust anything else in your personal system and can even keep using your preferred detergents.

Patented Technology – Gulp’s unique self-cleaning technology means there are no disposable filters or parts required throughout the product life cycle.

Gulp’s unique self-cleaning technology doesn’t require any additional filter and drains the water automatically, so you won’t need anything else as well. When the indicator light says it’s time to empty Gulp, you can simply remove the filter cup and empty out the captured microfibers in a waste bin. Rinse and repeat for a plastic-free and guilt-free laundry day.

What’s even better is that Matter, the creators of this sustainable product, has systems in place to give those microplastics a new home. Starting next year, you can send them your captured microfibers, which will be used for ongoing research or recycled into new materials and products. For just £149 (around $170), you can get a single Gulp to keep both your clothes and the planet clean without having to change your wardrobe or style.

Click Here to Buy Now: $170 $280 (40% off). Hurry, only 19/475 left! Raised over $115,000.

The post This innovative machine keeps the planet clean while you get your laundry done first appeared on Yanko Design.

This ergonomic washing machine design helps save our oceans by filtering out microplastics!

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Martina Mancini’s Ocean washing system is as sustainable as it is ergonomic, with special filters that recycle out microplastics and hidden adaptive features for intuitive and accessible operation.

Each time we wash a load of laundry, microfibers detach from our favorite polyester and acrylic clothes and end up in wastewater. Contributing close to 35% of the microplastics found in our oceans, washing machines are due for a sustainability cleanup. Designer Martina Mancini was recently recognized by The James Dyson Award for her work in developing an ergonomic washing machine called Ocean that filters out microplastics and recirculates the water used between cycles.

With Ocean, Mancini set out to develop a washing machine that’s friendly to the environment and ergonomic for most users. The Ocean is designed like preexisting washing machines, equipped with a basket, drum, and display control panel, to ensure familiarity during use. Once the clothes are placed inside Ocean’s drum and basket, users can start their wash cycle by selecting one on the machine’s front display panel. From there, water flows into the drum from a centrifugal pump that’s connected to a purification filter to prepare the water for recirculation once the cycle is complete.

The post-cycle water purification process first passes through a stainless steel sieve grid and then a polyester filter sponge to remove larger microplastics. Following that, the water surges into a pipe that’s connected to the machine’s centrifugal pump, which propels the water against a hollow fiber membrane through a tangential filtration process. Once the filtration process makes its rounds, the water is purified by an Ozonator before recirculating for future use. Ensuring that Ocean is as ergonomic as it is sustainable, Mancini designed the washing machine so that users can remove the machine’s filters on their own before obtaining a new one from an offsite factory. There, company workers will remove and recycle the microplastics to give them a new life.

Given that the hardware required to construct Ocean would be bulky, Mancini knew the washing machine would reach a higher height than those already on the market. Working with a bigger machine allowed Mancini to incorporate more ergonomic features, including an adjustable table located beneath the drum, where users can prepare their laundry before and following washing cycles.

Designer: Martina Mancini

Americans consume an alarming amount of microplastics

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Americans consume tens of thousands of microplastic particles every year -- and that's just from the food we eat. Microplastics are also found in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Thanks to a study published in the journal Environmental Scie...