Written by: Katie Scott, business reporter
Samsung and clothing brand Patagonia have released details of two products created to help reduce the levels of microplastics being released into water systems.
The software update for Samsung’s washing machines and the Less Microfibre Filter work together to reduce the release of microplastics by 54 percent as well as blocking them from escaping into the water outlet.
The two products are as a result of a collaboration between the two companies announced in January 2022. In an interview, Inhee Chung, Vice President of the Corporate Sustainability Center at Samsung said that the partnership has been key in driving innovation: “Sustainability-related issues are complex and have nuances that often require creative, cross-industry partnerships and solutions to address them…Working with an eco-conscious clothing company like Patagonia helped us to identify a more impactful solution based on both parties’ particular expertise.”
From later this year, some Samsung customers will be able to install an update to their washing machine to help lower the release of microplastics. The update will be available to customers in the US and Korea with compatible machines. The filter will start appearing in some Samsung machines later this year and will also be available to buy separately for installation in other brands’ machines.
Techcrunch was at the unveiling of the new launches. It reported: “Unless you live in a natural fibres–only household, your laundry is likely exacerbating an environmental crisis with each wash.” It added though: “One company certainly won’t solve plastic pollution, but luckily other folks are working on this problem, too. Third-party filters and washing bags are two ways to reduce the environmental cost of washing synthetic materials, yet they’re no substitute for buying less or even ditching plastic clothes altogether.”
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