When you set your table for dinner, do you ever think about how you can save Planet Earth through such a simple daily act? It’s true, you can AND make your table look a little prettier in the process. How? Use cloth napkins.
On average, each American uses a staggering 2,200 paper napkins a year, none of them recycled. Why not reduce waste (and deforestation) by choosing cloth instead?
Recycla’s family uses cloth napkins with dinner almost every night. Recycla has collected a variety of napkins over the years, and her daughters like to choose which napkins they use each evening. Not surprisingly, the girls skew toward florals.
Recycla particularly loves the selection, quality, and prices of napkins at World Market. A locally-owned shop nearby sells Ten Thousand Villages products — a wonderful source of Fair Trade goods from all over the world, including some beautiful napkins. One can also find a large selection at Target, which is where Recycla found her favorite striped napkins.
Other inexpensive ways to purchase cloth napkins:
- Scout out thrift shops and other second-hand stores.
- For fancier meals, check out local antique stores for old linen napkins.
- Does your grandmother have any old napkins she’d like to share?
- Make your own: If you have any fraying shirts, such as oxford cloth men’s shirts, cut out squares and you’re ready to roll. Hemming the edges is optional.
Some people would argue that using cloth napkins uses resources too — the napkins have to be washed. True, but the overall use of resources is less and the napkins don’t add much bulk to one’s laundry. And, of course, the napkins don’t have to washed after each use. And, no, Recycla does not iron her cloth napkins.
Recycla must confess that her family only uses cloth napkins during dinner but not during other meals. Yes, Recycla knows her family should use cloth all the time, but she’s not perfect and she’s trying to make easy changes where possible. The family uses Seventh Generation 100% Recycled Napkins for breakfast and lunch. These napkins aren’t pretty, but that’s not the point. By using napkins made from recycled paper, Recycla feels slightly better about her wastefulness.
If the idea of switching from paper to cloth seems a bit much, ease into it. Use cloth napkins for one meal per week, such as Sunday dinner. Doing so helps cut back a little on waste and we all know that every little bit counts.
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