Woven Polyester Blouse
Polyester woven blouse. Representative of H&M's fast fashion synthetic clothing line.
How scores are calculated
Materials (40%): How plastic-free the product is — raw materials, construction, and coatings.
Packaging (20%): Is the product packaged in plastic? Is it recyclable?
Transparency (20%): Does the brand disclose ingredients, sourcing, and manufacturing?
Durability (20%): How long does it last? Longer-lasting products reduce plastic waste over time.
This is a rating of this specific product only — not the company. Other products from this brand may score differently.
Last updated: April 5, 2026
Synthetic clothing releases microplastics through both washing and wearing. Polyester, nylon, and spandex shed microfibers that are absorbed through the skin. Activewear worn during exercise dramatically increases dermal absorption due to sweat and heat.
Why We Rated It This Way
H&M's sustainability marketing (Conscious Collection) is largely greenwashing — the majority of their products are still synthetic polyester. Fast fashion polyester sheds microplastics and has a complex, opaque supply chain.
Chemical & Health Analysis
Each chemical of concern is broken down below — what it is, where it comes from in this product, what it does to the body, and who is most at risk.
Microplastics
100% polyester fabric
Microfiber shedding through wearing and washing
- ↳No Plastic in Nature: Assessing Plastic Ingestion from Nature to People — Environmental Science & Technology, 2019
- ↳Raman microspectroscopy detection and characterisation of microplastics in human breastmilk — Polymers (MDPI), 2022
- ↳Exposure to microplastics and human reproductive outcomes: A systematic review — BJOG: International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2024
All health claims are based on published, peer-reviewed research from the NIH, WHO, IARC, and peer-reviewed journals. This information is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
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