The Truth About Microplastics in Your Cleaning Cloths

That microfibre cloth next to your kitchen sink is made of plastic. Every time you wash it, it sheds thousands of microscopic plastic fibres into your wastewater. Every time you use it on a surface, it leaves traces behind. And every time you eat food prepared on that bench, some of those fibres go with it. This is not a fringe concern - it is well-documented science, and it applies to the blue synthetic wipes in your kitchen drawer too.

As Dr. Mark Browne, marine biologist and one of the world's leading researchers on microfibre pollution, put it in a landmark study: "Microplastic fibres from synthetic textiles are the most prevalent form of microplastic found in marine and freshwater environments globally - and domestic washing is the primary release pathway."

Good Change co-founder Stine grew up in Denmark, where the alternative - a wood pulp and cotton cloth invented in Sweden 70 years ago - was just a normal part of the kitchen. When she and co-founder Kristy launched Good Change, bringing that cloth to New Zealand was one of the first things on the list. Here is why.

How Many Microplastics Does a Cleaning Cloth Actually Shed?

The numbers are genuinely startling. A single domestic wash cycle can release between 700 and 4,000 individual microplastic fibres per gram of synthetic fabric (De Falco et al., 2018). A standard microfibre cleaning cloth weighs around 30-50 grams. That means a single wash could release anywhere from 21,000 to 200,000 plastic fibres - and most wastewater treatment plants are not equipped to capture them all.

These fibres do not disappear. They accumulate in waterways, in soil, in the food chain, and increasingly in human tissue. A 2024 University of New Mexico study found microplastics in every single one of 62 human placentas tested. Researchers at the University of New Mexico also detected microplastics in human brains in 2025 - at concentrations significantly higher than in other organs, and growing. Humans now ingest an estimated six times more microplastics than we did in 1990.

We already eat approximately 5 grams of microplastic per week - roughly the weight of a credit card. The question is not whether to eliminate all exposure (that ship has sailed), but whether to stop adding to it unnecessarily.

The Microfibre Cloth vs. Eco Cloth: A Head-to-Head Comparison

Here is how a standard synthetic microfibre cloth compares to the Good Change Eco Cloth across the factors that actually matter for a NZ household.

Feature	Standard Microfibre Cloth	Good Change Eco Cloth
Material	Synthetic plastic (polyester/polyamide blend)	70% wood pulp, 30% cotton - fully natural
Microplastic shedding	Sheds thousands of plastic fibres per wash	Zero - no synthetic fibres to shed
Drying time	Slow to dry - stays damp for hours	Dries hard and fast - bacteria can't grow in dry material
Smell after use	Develops odour quickly from trapped bacteria	No smell - the rapid drying prevents bacterial growth
Absorbency	Good	Exceptional - absorbs significantly more liquid per gram
End of life	Landfill - takes hundreds of years to break down	Home compostable in 2-2.5 months (Swiss lab certified)
Lifespan	Variable - often replaced every few months	6-9 months with regular use
Paper towel equivalent	Not applicable	Replaces 26 rolls of paper towels
Cost per use	Appears cheap upfront; ongoing replacement costs	~$4 per cloth (from a 3-pack) vs $91 in paper towels over 4 months

What Nobody Tells You About the Blue Synthetic Wipes

"I think a lot of Kiwi households use those blue synthetic wipes and don't realise how bad they are," says Stine. "The performance is so poor it's not even funny - the absorbency is terrible. We use them because the distribution is extremely good. They're in cafes, hotels, cleaning supplies everywhere. And our parents used them, so we trust them. But that doesn't mean we have to."

The blue (and purple, and green) synthetic wipes sold in bulk at hardware stores and supermarkets are made of petroleum-based synthetic fibres. They shed microplastics in use, release plastic fibres into waterways when washed, and sit in landfill for hundreds of years when discarded. A lot of people wash their vegetables on them without thinking twice about what those fibres might be leaving behind.

This is the same problem as microfibre cloths, just less talked about - possibly because the cloths look more premium and the wipes look disposable. Both are plastic. Both shed. Both leave a footprint that far outlasts their usefulness.

The Eco Cloth: 70 Years Old and Still the Best Answer

The Good Change Eco Cloth is not a new invention. The wood pulp and cotton cloth was first developed in Sweden in the 1950s - and the fact that it is still around, still being made, and still preferred by people who know about it, is itself a kind of proof of concept.

"Being from Denmark, I grew up knowing this cloth," says Stine. "Denmark is next door to Sweden. It was just a normal kitchen cloth. When Kristy and I started Good Change, we both immediately saw the opportunity to take this incredible product and make it modern - print on it, make it look beautiful, make it something people actually want to have sitting on their bench."

The wood pulp is what makes it work differently from every other cloth on the market:

• It dries hard. When the Eco Cloth dries, it goes stiff - almost like cardboard. That is the wood pulp doing its job. Bacteria can only grow in moisture, so a cloth that dries completely between uses does not harbour the same bacteria as a cloth that stays damp.
• It does not smell. The rapid drying is the reason. No moisture, no bacterial growth, no smell. If you have ever had a kitchen cloth that required a gas mask to approach, you will understand why this matters.
• It goes soft when wet. Wet it under the tap and it softens immediately - pliable, absorbent, and comfortable to use. The texture is nothing like microfibre. It does not feel like plastic because it is not plastic.
• It is fully home compostable. Swiss lab certified. In about 2-2.5 months in a home compost or garden bed, it breaks down completely. No residue, no plastic fragments, nothing left behind. If you do not have a compost, cut it up with scissors and bury it in the garden. It goes back to the earth.

The Maths on Replacing Paper Towels

One Eco Cloth replaces approximately 26 rolls of paper towels. Here is how that number works: the average NZ household uses around 1.5 rolls of paper towels per week - and that is a conservative estimate if you have children. At that rate, 26 rolls lasts about 17 weeks, or four months.

One Eco Cloth from a 3-pack costs about $4. Twenty-six rolls of paper towels at an average of $3.50 per roll costs $91. Over four months, you spend $4 instead of $91. That is $87 saved - and that is the conservative version of the maths. Most households use more paper towels than 1.5 rolls per week, and most Eco Cloths last longer than four months.

"We would rather under-promise and over-deliver," says Stine. "So we say 26 rolls. You will probably save more."

On Not Judging Where You Are in the Journey

A lot of people buy microfibre cloths thinking they are being eco-conscious - they are reusable, after all. Stine is clear on this: "We never judge anyone on their journey for less waste. Anyone who is reusing, we fully applaud. Getting to less waste in your household is a step-by-step process. Any step that takes you to a reusable option is amazing. Once you have done that step, just try to take the next one when you are ready."

The microfibre cloth was a step forward from single-use paper towels. The Eco Cloth is the next step - same reusability, no plastic shedding, better performance, and it goes back to the earth when you are done with it. You do not have to do everything at once. You just have to be open to what comes next.

Common Questions

Do microfibre cloths really shed microplastics?

Yes. Microfibre cloths are made from synthetic plastic fibres (typically polyester and polyamide). Research shows a single wash cycle can release thousands of microplastic fibres, most of which pass through wastewater treatment and enter waterways. Using the cloth on surfaces also leaves microplastic traces behind.

What is the best alternative to microfibre cloths in NZ?

The Good Change Eco Cloth - made from 70% wood pulp and 30% cotton - is a fully natural, plastic-free alternative. It is home compostable, lasts 6-9 months, replaces 26 rolls of paper towels, and does not shed any synthetic fibres. It has been around for 70 years and is Swiss lab certified compostable.

Are the blue synthetic wipes (like the ones in hardware stores) also a problem?

Yes. The blue, purple, and green synthetic wipes sold in bulk are made from petroleum-based synthetic fibres. They shed microplastics in use and in washing, and sit in landfill for hundreds of years. They are the same problem as microfibre cloths - just less talked about.

Can the Good Change Eco Cloth really go in a home compost?

Yes - fully home compostable, not just commercially compostable. Swiss lab testing shows it breaks down completely in approximately 2-2.5 months in a home compost or garden bed. You can also cut it into pieces and add it to a worm farm, or simply bury it in the garden.

How long does the Eco Cloth last compared to a microfibre cloth?

The Good Change Eco Cloth is designed to last 6-9 months with regular use. After that, the print may start to fade but the cloth still functions. You can move it down the cleaning hierarchy - bathroom, shed, outdoor use - before composting it. Most users find it outlasts standard microfibre cloths significantly.