STOCKHOLM – A new report from Sweden links the way polyester fabrics are made to the amount of microfibres that textiles and garments lose during their production and use. Supported by Swedish retailers H&M, Filippa K and Boob Design, the research also debunks the myth that recycled polyester fibres used in fleece jackets are more likely to shed microfibres that end up in aquatic environments; and it calls for manufacturers to reduce fabric brushing, use ultrasound cutting and to remove microparticles on polyester fabrics much earlier in the textile production process to minimise microfibre shedding.