MAP Blog Series: Why Map was created and what insights does it provide?
In an era where sustainability is not just a buzzword but a necessity, the Microfibres Assessment Programme (MAP) by Matter, stands out as a groundbreaking initiative. This series of blogs delves into the essence of MAP, exploring its origins, methodologies, and the multifaceted benefits it offers to the textile industry.
The inception of our Microfibre Assessment Programme (MAP) was driven by the urgent need to understand the impact of microfibre pollution at an industrial scale. We soon found that, whilst methodology regarding microfibre pollution from domestic washing was already available and extensively known, there was not the same data available for effectively measuring microfibre leakage within the textile industry.
In addition, traditional methods of assessing the impact of microfibre pollution from textiles have often provided incomplete and fragmented insights, as they focus on isolated stages of a garment's life cycle. This approach neglects the bigger picture and is unable to comprehensively assess the environmental impact from production to disposal. Developed by Matter, MAP fills this gap by providing a holistic assessment that considers the lifecycle of a garment. In doing so, it ensures a more accurate and thorough understanding of a garment's environmental footprint, particularly in terms of microfibre pollution, enabling more informed decisions for the fashion industry.
Over the last 18 months, the Matter team has developed MAP by rigorously testing and refining its methodology. By focusing on the pre-consumer stages of production—especially the dyeing, finishing, and processing phases—MAP has uncovered significant microfibre emissions from overlooked sources, such as stentering (softening and spray processes) and slitting. This detailed analysis provides a clearer picture of where and how microfibre pollution occurs, in turn offering actionable insights to reduce the environmental footprint of textile production.
What insights does MAP provide?
Custom insights aligned with client goals
The Microfibre Assessment Programme (MAP) empowers brands and manufacturers with tailored data insights and identifies key sources of microfibre emissions within their production processes. Focusing on each client's specific objectives and utilising our team's in-depth knowledge of textile production processes, Matter designs bespoke objectives to ensure the most relevant and impactful data is captured. Due to the unique complexity of production facilities, this approach has been particularly valuable to brands we’ve partnered with, including those with vertically integrated processes that involve a multitude of fabric types and production stages.
Comprehensive report on microfibre emissions
Identifying key sources of microfibre emissions is fundamental in establishing appropriate solutions to mitigate environmental impact and reduce overall emissions. MAP goes beyond pinpointing emission areas by also quantifying the volume and frequency of emissions throughout a company’s production system. This includes assessments of air pollution from knitting processes and microfibre release during garment washing cycles, ensuring every critical production stage is covered. The collected data is presented in a detailed report, empowering companies to make informed decisions about their processes and materials, and to take concrete steps toward reducing their environmental footprint.
Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) efficiency evaluation
In addition to measuring microfibre emissions, MAP also evaluates the effectiveness of a facility's Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) in capturing microplastics during wastewater treatment. Using precise sampling methods, we quantify the amount of microplastics filtered by the ETP, offering invaluable insights into its ability to prevent pollutants from reaching natural water bodies. This assessment is critical for both environmental protection and sustainability.
In the next episode of this blog series, we will be delving into exactly why the Microfibre Assessment Programme is so important.
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