Paper Towels, Napkins and some of the Alternatives
I grew up always using paper towels. It was just what you used as napkins, to dry washed produce, wipe counters, or help to protect a surface from scratches or spills.
About 9 years ago I decided to turn my kiddos t-shirts into cloth napkins. He took them to school, used them at home, and at the same time they were an added keepsake for us. This was really useful, because many shirts ended up with an impossible stain or rip here or there and couldn’t get donated otherwise. We are still using these exact napkins today. They held up so well and I simply throw them into the sanitary wash with other towels. I also started using them to wipe the table after meals. Super sturdy and absorbent.
Roughly 5 years ago, I decided to go fully zero waste, or at least give it my best shot. This meant paper towels were a thing of the past. I stopped purchasing the big plastic wrapped rolls and used only my existing kitchen towels, cloth napkins, and cloth rags from old shirts and towels. A wash was all it needed. No more store runs, money saved, and waste reduced. I use this method still today. The towels live in my kitchen drawer, the napkins are folded in a basket by the dining table and the rags live in a basket on top of the washer. Easy grab and go in all of my daily areas of life.
The only problem I ran into were guests. Most guests truly relied on paper towels and couldn’t go without them. I didn’t like that they purchased the plastic wrapped version, so I decided to find an option that I could offer instead. My toilet paper delivery service Who Gives A Crap offered recycled paper wrapped rolls and Thrive offers caboo bamboo towels as a 3 pack or you can get them in a larger pack directly on the caboo site. So now I always have some of those at home and can hand them out when guests are over, or sometimes when we want them for a day out and about camping or going to the beach.
As you can see, I use a variety of options to stay low waste and low cost. It’s a pretty good system, and cutting out those extra purchases really made my life a lot better.
