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Textile Filter Takes Aim At Microplastics

• By  Textile Excellence
• July 28, 2026

German researchers have developed a textile-based cascade filter that could stop microplastic pollution.

Scientists at the German Institutes of Textile and Fiber Research Denkendorf (DITF) have developed a three-stage filter capable of removing 89.7% to 98.5% of microplastic particles from wastewater.

The system uses specially engineered 3D textile composite structures made from polypropylene fabric and spacer layers. Wastewater passes through progressively finer pores, allowing the filter to capture particles as small as 1.5 micrometres.

The technology has already been tested in both an industrial laundry and a municipal wastewater treatment plant.

And there is another clever feature.

As fibres accumulate, they form a “filter cake” that actually improves filtration. A compressed-air backwashing system then removes the buildup. According to the researchers, this extends operating time by 155%, reducing how frequently the filter needs cleaning.

The need is substantial. Research cited by the team suggests that washing can release between 12 and 1,400 milligrams of microfibres per kilogram of textiles, depending on the material and conditions.

Traditional wastewater plants can remove much of this pollution, but their enormous water volumes mean that even a small percentage escaping can translate into huge quantities.

The DITF approach takes the battle closer to the source — the laundry itself.

And that could make this more than a clever filtration technology.

As synthetic fibre use continues to grow and pressure mounts on the textile industry to tackle microfiber pollution, textiles may increasingly become part of the solution to a pollution problem they helped create.

The DITF approach takes the battle closer to the source — the laundry itself. And that could make this more than a clever filtration technology. As synthetic fibre use continues to grow and pressure mounts on the textile industry to tackle microfiber pollution, textiles may increasingly become part of the solution to a pollution problem they helped create.