LOUISE PERMIIN

Design researcher, educator and consultancy

What if captured microplastic fibers from laundry could be re-used?


WASHED OUT – A report on Microplastic fibres – Design research, 2019

WASHED OUT – a report on Microplastic Fibres is a research project and book that investigates our daily, mostly subconscious, behaviours and interactions with microplastic fibres from synthetic cloth.

The book is based on a three-month research study that explored the topic of laundry using different methodologies. With hands on experimentations, consumer analysis and self-conducted tests, this study aims to pose questions towards our everyday interactions with microplastic. It investigates the content of regular laundries, each items segregation of microfibers during wash and their environmental as well as bodily effect during use. The aim of this project is to identify and create awareness of the issue of microplastics in our daily surroundings and to get a glimpse of its circulating effects.  

Field work

Field work; Fibres release from one laundry. Amount of Microplastic fibres: 0,07g.
Quest: If dublicating a one person laundrywash with a four floor building, inhabiting sixteen people who wash nine laundrywashes a month – give an amount of 120,98g microplastic fibres washed out every 12 month. Image from book by Louise Permiin, 2019


Questions?

We need to start question the materials we use, wear and interact with.
Is plastic needed in clothing?
What does synthetic fibers do to the environment?
And how does it impact the human body while being in use?

Design; Book, a graph and rough overview of plastic and microplastic in everyday use. Image from book by Permiin, 2019
Design; Book, testing microplastic fibers as bioplastic materials. If we are to re-use the fibres, what should it be used for and in which objects? Image from book by Permiin, 2019

“It is interesting how strong the reused ‘bioplastic-material’ from microfibers are.”

– Adjunct Lecturer Jon Emil Stenz, 2019


“It is really scary and interesting how to make the public aware of microplasticfibres release during laundrywash!“

– Employee from Plastic change, 2019


Project management by

  • Design researcher Louise Permiin

Supervised by

Collaboration

Publications

  •  WASHED OUT/ a report on microplastic fibres,
    Material Design Lab, KEA, DK. 2019. ISBN: 978-87-88476-10-1
  • Microplastic in our body, “WASHED OUT/ a report on microplastic fibres.”
    P1morgen. Copenhagen, DK. 2019
  • 3 danske designudstillinger til sommer, “WASHED OUT/ a report on microplasticfibres.” Published by Fashion forum, DK. 2019 
  • Der er plastik i dit tis, “WASHED OUT/ a report on microplasticfibres.”
    KEA, Copenhagen, DK. 2019