Sustainability of clothes dryer–focusing on microfiber emission, fabric damage, and energy consumption: A review

Abstract

Clothes dryers have become an essential appliance in modern households because of the convenience they provide. However, environmental concerns arise, particularly regarding microfiber emission, fabric damage, and energy consumption. This review examines the three main types of clothes dryers–condenser, heat pump, and vented dryers–to compare their environment impacts. Condenser dryers emit relatively small amount of microfibers and cause less fabric damage, yet consume moderate energy. Heat pump dryers are energy-efficient but exhibit greatest microfiber emission and fabric damage. Vented dryers resulted in medium release of microfibers and fabric damage, while indicating enormous amount of energy consumption. The study highlights tradeoffs between sustainability factors and moisture release rate, emphasizing the need for innovations that optimize efficiency while minimizing environmental harm. Future research should focus on alternative drying technologies, as to mitigate the adverse effects of dryer use. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.