Fibre fragmentation is a process whereby small quantities of fibres, often referred to as microfibres, ‘fragment’ or break away from textiles during various stages of a product’s lifecycle. By far the most significant agitator that causes this fragmentation is domestic laundering. During laundering, a small portion of fibres within a garment will break, releasing micro fragments which pass through wastewater, into rivers and subsequently to marine environments.

The fabric is tested in a machine which replicates the motion and agitation of a washing machine, such as the James Heal GyroWash. The test is used to find out how much fibre, by weight, is lost during a cycle of washing. 

It can be used to identify if one fabric performs better than another including the same material from different sources, one fabric compared to a competitor, a chemical finish or dyestuff applied to the fabric. It can also be used to see how repeated washing affects the loss of fibres.