Are PET microplastics from polyester clothing harmful?

What's actually in it

Polyester clothing is made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate). This is the same plastic used to make water bottles. When you wear or wash these clothes, they shed tiny pieces of plastic known as microplastics. These particles are small enough to get into your body through your skin or by breathing them in.

Once inside, these plastics don't just sit there. They interact with your cells in ways that can cause real damage. Research shows that these particles can trigger stress responses in your cells and lead to the loss of the protective lining inside your blood vessels.

What the research says

A 2026 study in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology found that PET microplastics trigger a chain reaction in the body. These plastics cause stress in your cells, which leads to the loss of the endothelial glycocalyx: a protective layer that lines your blood vessels.

This process unleashes inflammation and causes your smooth muscle cells to switch their behavior. The result is early structural impairment of your aorta, which is the main artery carrying blood from your heart. This peer-reviewed study highlights how these common plastic particles can directly harm your cardiovascular system.

Additionally, a 2026 study in Water Research confirms that human exposure to these PET nano- and microplastics is increasing through everyday handling and storage. We are constantly surrounded by these materials, and the science is clear that they are not inert when they enter the human body.