ABSTRACT Phase change materials (PCMs) embedded in fibrous materials offer significant benefits of thermal management for various applications. However, the complex structure and lifecycle of phase change fibrous material (PCFM) exacerbate PCM‐based microplastic generation. As regulations targeting microplastics from textiles emerge globally (e.g., EU initiatives) and consumer demand for sustainable products surges, reconciling the functional advantages of PCFM with environmental footprint is paramount. The perspective not only re‐examines the PCM‐based microplastic generation from PCFM but also offers solutions for PCFM development in the context of microplastic reduction. Especially, a sandwich fibrous phase change material encapsulation (SFPCME) is notable to avoid PCM leakage under various situation, presenting a significant potential to avoid PCM‐based microplastic generation.
Yang et al. (2026) studied this question.