Microplastics
Penalty 100/100 - weighted impact 45
Nylon is recorded as Synthetic and tied to Polyamide, which drives the material's microplastics score pressure.
Synthetic
Polyamide
Nylon clothing: health and sustainability score
A synthetic fiber made from petroleum. Not biodegradable and energy-intensive to produce, but durable and long-lasting, reducing replacement needs.
Score drivers
Greener Closet scores materials from several penalty inputs. The same material can be reasonable in one product and weak in another, but these are the default drivers behind the base material record.
Very high concern
PFAS uncertainty
Penalty 80/100 - weighted impact 12
Nylon receives a PFAS uncertainty penalty because performance synthetics and finish-dependent uses can make PFAS claims harder to verify from a label alone.
Half-life and biodegradability
Penalty 100/100 - weighted impact 15
Nylon is treated as slow to break down, so half-life and biodegradability are major sustainability concerns.
Fiber shedding
Penalty 50/100 - weighted impact 2.5
Nylon can shed fibers during wear and washing; the MaterialsDB shedding penalty captures that release risk.
Manufacturing energy
Penalty 85/100 - weighted impact 8.5
Nylon carries a manufacturing-energy penalty, so production impacts remain part of the score even when microplastic risk is low.
Safer alternatives to consider
Best next step
Paste the full fabric label into the homepage checker. A 95% cotton, 5% elastane garment will not score the same as 100% cotton, and the checker handles those percentages.
Use the material-label checkerRelated scored products
218 visible scored products include Nylon.
High-Rise Brief
Brand: Subset
85/100
Women'sUnderwear
Men's Organic Cotton Socks Tan-Green Ankle
Brand: Harvest & Mill
84/100
Men'sSocks
LocationX™ Tee Boxy
Brand: Western Rise
84/100
Men'sTanksActivewearShirts
Low-Rise Thong
Brand: Subset
83/100
Women'sUnderwear
Essential Thong
Brand: BRANWYN
82/100
Women'sUnderwear
Gerber Baby 6pk Wiggle Proof Socks
Brand: Gerber
79/100
BabySocks
Triangle Soft Bra
Brand: Subset
79/100
Women'sBras
The Cashmere Ribbed Beanie
Brand: Everlane
79/100
Men'sAccessories
Non-toxic clothing guides where Nylon matters
Nylon shows up frequently in these categories. Each guide explains which fibers and finishes to look for and to avoid.
Common questions
Does Nylon clothing shed microplastics?
Nylon is associated with Polyamide, so Greener Closet treats it as a microplastic-shedding concern.
Is Nylon biodegradable?
Nylon carries a half-life penalty in MaterialsDB, meaning persistence and biodegradability are important concerns.
How should I check a Nylon blend?
Use the Greener Closet material-label checker with the full percentage label, because blends can change the final score even when Nylon is only one part of the garment.