It has been found that cleaning clothes in a delicate wash cycle releases more plastic microfibres than any other cycle.
These plastic fibres can then reach waterways and ultimately end up in the ocean.
A PhD student from Newcaslte University, Max Kelly says that "Fabrics across the board need to be stronger and more durable to help reduce the amount of fibres that are being released during laundry."
Mr Kelly hopes that this research will influence the design of washing machines in the future.