The Slovenian startup tackling washing machine micro-plastic pollution.
By Caden Elsesser
Decades of overconsumption and ineffective waste management have made plastic pollution one of the biggest environmental and health challenges of our time. Since the 1950s, humans have produced over 9 billion tons of plastic, of which over 7 billion tons have been discarded as waste.
While much attention is given to plastic bottles and packaging, textiles are a frequently overlooked source of plastic waste. Most new clothing produced today contains synthetic fibres such as polyester, nylon and acrylic, which shed tiny plastic particles during washing. With each laundry cycle, an estimated 700,000 synthetic microfibers are released into the water system. These particles are too small to be effectively filtered out by wastewater treatment plants, meaning they often end up in our rivers, lakes, and oceans.
For more on the textile waste, see: This Parisian creative studio transforms textile waste into building bricks.
The scale of the problem is almost as staggering as the lack of awareness surrounding it. In Europe, the average family of five does six washing cycles per week. Over the course of a year, that means more than 200 million microplastics from just one household are discharged into the water supply. Multiply that by the global population and you can begin to see why microplastics are being found everywhere – from human brains and testicles to the stomachs of sea birds living in the most remote regions of the globe. Scientists are still studying the long-term health impacts, but early findings suggest that ingesting microplastics could have severely negative effects on human health.
PlanetCare, a Slovenian startup, has developed a simple but effective solution to help reduce the amount of synthetic fibres entering our waterways. Their washing machine filter captures up to 98% of microplastics before they leave the machine, preventing them from reaching wastewater systems and, ultimately, the ocean.
The PlanetCare system is designed to be easy to install and use. First, the filter holder is attached to the washing machine. Each time the machine runs, the filter traps synthetic fibres shed from clothes. After approximately 30 washes, the used filter can be returned to PlanetCare for recycling and replaced with a fresh one. PlanetCare ensures that collected microplastics don’t become waste themselves. Used filters are sent back to the company, where the trapped fibres are recycled or upcycled into new products.
However, as with any sustainability innovation, PlanetCare faces important challenges. One of the biggest hurdles is user adoption. For the average consumer, the environmental benefits of using a filter may feel too abstract or too delayed to justify the upfront cost or effort. The microplastics they prevent today won’t immediately affect their daily lives tomorrow. Without clear financial incentives or regulatory pressure, many households may choose not to install them at all.
To overcome this, PlanetCare should explore partnerships with laundromats, hotels, hospitals, and large-scale laundry services that could use PlanetCare’s filters as a marketing opportunity. Imagine “pollution-free laundry services”. Collaborations with washing machine manufacturers could also lead to built-in filtration systems in new models, making the technology more seamless for everyday users. On a broader level, policy change could be key: governments could introduce regulations mandating microplastic filters in all new washing machines, and offer subsidies to support their adoption in both residential and commercial settings.
Of course, filtering microplastics at the source won’t solve the entire plastic pollution crisis. But it’s an important step toward reducing the synthetic waste that flows into our rivers and oceans with every load of laundry. Complementary actions can amplify this impact: consumers can reduce microfiber shedding by washing less frequently, using colder water and gentler cycles, and opting for natural fabrics like cotton, wool, or linen over synthetics.
Perhaps most significantly, PlanetCare’s work extends beyond just capturing fibers—it helps bring attention to a hidden yet urgent issue. By raising awareness of the role clothing plays in plastic pollution, PlanetCare is bringing about a shift in public understanding. And when greater awareness meets innovative design, it can spark broader behavioural and policy changes. In that sense, PlanetCare’s filter is more than just a product—it’s a catalyst for environmental responsibility.