# Dryer lint. Where does it come from?/Recycle?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-lint-where-does-it-come-from-recycle/202372>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 18, 2003, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-lint-where-does-it-come-from-recycle/202372 "2003-09-18T14:02:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dryer-lint-where-does-it-come-from-recycle/202372/21 "2003-09-18T23:58:59Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by moriah \*  
> \*\*In doing research for composting, I’ve read several times that one can use lint from clothing made of 100% organic fibers, and not artificial fibers.
> 
> Why? I don’t know. This may have scientific fact to it, or it may be the folk wisdom of organomaniacs.
> 
> ## Peace.
> 
> Dryer lint v. Belly-button lint. \*\*

Well, if they mean organic as in “non synthetic” it makes sense. Synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester won’t break down in a compost heap, whereas organic fibers like cotton, linen and I suppose silk will. Unless a person was, as you put it, an “organomaniac” they probably wouldn’t worry if their cotton clothes were Organic in the sense of no chemicals were used in growing the cotton.

**VernWinterbottom** points out above that a small amount of synthetic fibers in your compost probably shouldn’t hurt.

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