A $40 Tool That Will Make Every Laundry Load More Sustainable

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So you've decided to cut back on plastic waste, hit up thrift stores before buying new, carry a reusable tote everywhere, and swear off plastic water bottles for good. You're doing amazing, honestly—but there are still so many ways to help the planet you probably haven't even thought of. And my go-to place to start? Your laundry routine.

Here's the thing—you might already use a natural detergent and wash in cold water whenever you can, but your laundry could still be having some serious environmental impacts you didn't even know about. I'm talking about microplastics: those tiny fragments that shed off synthetic fabrics (think nylon, acetate, and polyester) in the wash and go on to pollute our waterways. Yeah, it's a thing.

It's a real problem—and honestly, it's only getting more concerning—but it's not totally impossible to do something about. That's why, near the end of last year, I finally decided to pick up a Cora Ball. Best decision ever.

Coming in at just under $40, the Cora Ball is this genius spherical contraption made of recycled plastic that traps those tiny microplastic particles so you can easily dispose of them. The design inspiration? Nature, naturally. "We needed to collect small things from moving water, and we realized that coral does exactly that," explains founder-inventor Rachael Z. Miller. "Coral is effectively attached to a rock and yet it catches tiny bits of plankton from moving water. That moment informed our design moving forward, and the Cora Ball, with its coral-like stalks, was born." Basically, you just toss the soft ball into your washing machine, and after a few loads you'll find its little holes filled with microplastic lint, which you can remove by hand and toss in the trash—keeping it out of the ocean for good.

And yes, it actually works: An independent study published in February 2019 showed the Cora Ball caught 26 percent of microplastics shed by fleece blankets. (In the same study, a device called the Lint-LUVR caught 87 percent of microplastics, but that one costs $140 and requires installation—not exactly ideal if you don't own your washing machine.)

It's true that you usually don't need to buy anything to live more sustainably, but laundry is tricky. You can prioritize natural materials like cotton, wool, and linen when you shop, but ridding your wardrobe of all synthetic fibers? Nearly impossible—and wasteful to even try. For basically the cost of dinner and a drink, I know my laundry routine will have a smaller footprint this year, all thanks to my Cora Ball—and honestly, that peace of mind? Priceless.

More stories like this:People Who Install This in Their Homes Save $130+ a YearI Tested the 5 Most Popular Reusable Straws and There's a Clear WinnerThese 6 Things Aren't Recyclable—Here's What to Do With Them Instead

Rebecca is most often found digging through troves of vintage treasures, both in-person and online. Ask her to recommend a good book to read or an obscure Instagram account to follow, and you won't be disappointed.

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