Are Laundry Balls a Sustainable Washing Option for Consumers? Investigating the Effect of Laundry Balls on Microfiber Pollution through the Lens of Cradle-to-Cradle Design Model

Abstract

Laundry balls are promoted as a sustainable washing option because they do not contain chemical elements, unlike laundry detergent, which causes water pollution. However, little research exists to showcase the impact of laundry balls on microfiber pollution during home laundering. Using a cradle-to-cradle framework, this study aimed to investigate the effect of laundry balls on microfiber shedding during the home laundering process of synthetic clothing with different washing cycles. A factorial experimental design, consisting of 4 (washing options) × 3 (washing cycles) × 2 (repetitions) was used for this study. The ANOVA test was applied using SAS software. The findings revealed that different laundry balls including a ceramic laundry ball, lint remover laundry ball, and scrubbing laundry ball, did not reduce microfiber shedding of synthetic clothing. In fact, the use of the ceramic laundry ball accelerated microfiber shedding. It also presented the effects of different washing cycles on microfiber shedding of synthetic clothing. The study findings point towards the need to educate consumers about choosing the right washing options to minimize microfiber shedding. The findings also have implications for the industry and researchers to develop more sustainable washing options to reduce negative environmental effects by controlling microfiber pollution in home laundering.