We have discovered that microplastics are a huge aspect of our daily lives, no matter how we live, how organic we shop, and how far we are from civilization. We have uncovered that over 90% of Great Lakes fish have microplastics in their digestive tracts, the discovery of microplastics in breastmilk, and that most bottled water contains some level of microplastics. With these recent discoveries, I was inspired to look beyond my experience with Oshki beach cleanups along the Great Lakes into solving the issue during my senior project this past spring at the University of Michigan.

For the first time in his tenure as president, the Trump administration’s budget proposal has included $320 million dollars for Great Lakes funding thanks to efforts by US Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich) - stressing the importance of the Great Lakes to our community and water supply across the world. This is an example of the government working in a positive manner to reverse a previous incorrect decision - a decision that inspired me to start Oshki in the first place. The importance of these lakes cannot be made light of, especially as the issue of water shortage continues to propagate across the globe, a globe where 1/5th of all freshwater is located in the Great Lakes. 

Or, as Mr. Trump so eloquently put it: “I support the Great Lakes, they're beautiful, they're big, very deep, record deepness." 

At Oshki, we have shifted our production in 2019 and beyond into using all recycled polyester - reusing PET plastic waste from the Great Lakes and around the United States. However, this usage does not mean Oshki supports the use of virgin polyester and we see the effect polyester can have on the environment around us. Polyester is a synthetic fiber, made from petrochemical material in a process known as polymerization. Although polyester is breathable, easy to clean, and does not wrinkle - it has its side effects such as the usage of fossil fuels, microplastic shedding, and the usage of toxic chemicals in it’s production.