Polyester and Nylon are NOT Compostable

I must admit, I do not follow fashion. I am not sure what is "in" right now. I just buy the styles, colors and fabrics I like to wear. I am kind of an unintended anti-fashionista. I almost always shop at thrift stores because not only do I save a lot, but I also find the most interesting pieces of clothing. My favorite thrift store is the Value Village located on Pembina Street in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, which I visit every time we travel to Winnipeg to spend time with Jay's parents (see photo taken from Google Street View). One thing I always check when picking my clothes is the fabric label. I always want to make sure the item is made of a natural fabric. I am always astonished at the amount of synthetic fabric used in clothing. A large majority of clothes are made of synthetic fibers which do not biodegrade, are not compostable and take a very long time to decompose according to an article published in Grist:

"Casual composters report that a year after adding a cotton-poly T-shirt to a pile, the cotton is gone and all that remains is a spooky polyester skeleton. Estimates for a more complete breakdown of polyester seem to range from 20 to 200 years, given various conditions." (From Grist, "Ask Umbra: Is Fabric Compostable")

What is worse is that synthetic fabric breaks down over time in small particles and we end up breathing it in without realizing it. One of the worse uses of synthetic fabric is for curtains. Curtains exposed to the sun will break down quickly and the small synthetic particles float around and pollute indoor air.

Chantal Plamondon, Co-Founder
LifeWithoutPlastic.com