An add-on filter combats microplastics

This device for washing machines captures microfibres shed during a cycle

Spotted: It’s estimated that up to 35 per cent of the microplastics released into our oceans come from clothes, with a single home laundry cycle releasing upwards of 700,000 microfibres into our waterways. These pollutants aren’t just damaging to our physiological health, they also pose a huge risk to marine life. One solution to this problem is Gulp, a microfibre filter designed by startup Matter that can be easily installed on household washing machines. 

The Gulp filter was unveiled earlier this month as Matter’s first consumer product to market. The system is built around the company’s patented dynamic filter technology, called Regen, which separates microfibres from dirty water, capturing up to 97 per cent of microfibres released during washing. The Bristol-based climate tech company has designed the filter product to be user-friendly and maintenance-light: it can be retrofitted to any washing machine without drilling, it self-cleans and will filter up to 20 wash cycles (or around six weeks) without needing to be emptied, and it will last through the life of the washing machine.

In contrast to other solutions, the Gulp filter delivers convenience and long-term sustainability, and as a result, it could be a game-changer for the microplastics crisis. As an indicator of its potential impact, the Gulp product was launched in partnership with appliance manufacturing giant BSH, and will roll out under its Siemens and Bosch brands. The Bosch filter is poised to go live, with first orders available in Europe from January 2025.

This success follows Matter’s series A funding round of $10 million last year, with investors including S2G Ventures, SOUNDwaves, and Leonardo DiCaprio-backed consumer climate tech fund Regeneration.VC. Moving forward, Matter plans to launch its own professional laundry product for use in commercial settings, and the team is actively looking to scale up beyond laundry. The company is currently looking for partners in the textile apparel supply chain and aims to drive even more meaningful reductions in microplastics at the source.

Written By: Oscar Williams