Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that the most famous movie line about decorating is: “No Wire Hangers!” and while this is an ideally accurate, but somewhat restrictive point – especially if you just got back from the dry cleaner, or you’re talking about stuff way in the back of your closet that no one will ever see unless they are over the top snoopers – an even BETTER point to make these days is: “No Paper Napkins.” That’s what I would say if I were in a movie. “No Paper Napkins!” But maybe with a kind-of French accent, like … “Non, non, non! Non Napkin Papier!”
Why would I say this? Because it’s is a major component of the band wagon where I want you all hopping, that bio-diesel fuel running wedding limo carrying … the Marriage of Sustainability and Luxury. Nothing sets that special occasion tone at a dinner party like cloth napkins. Make every dinner a special occasion, and your kids begin practicing for those dreaded business lunches at an early age. It’s really no more work. Just train everyone in the family to use them (buy a cheap set for pizza in front of the TV), and remind them (forcefully, if necessary) that it is their responsibility to get their napkin in the wash. And whether you get these napkins from the finest Italian Linen specialist or the cheap and cheerful section at Target, you will be making a surprisingly far reaching green design choice. Imagine the trash space a years worth of your paper toweling takes – not to mention the cost. Add some festive hand and dish towels to you kitchen to take the idea even further, while giving a fresh breath of new patterns and color. Replace toilet paper with … every good idea has its limits.
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Links:
Slice of Pizza Napkins - Red Deco www.target.com
Napkins for the Kids- Fruits www.fabkins.com
Steak Au Poivre Napkins - Gold Ginko www.dermondpeterson.com
01.23.08 @ 5:54 pm
I’m all for cloth napkins (we’re slowly working up to where I don’t have to do laundry every other day to use them), but the prices on the ones you linked to are insane! I am proud to say that I have never paid more than a dollar apiece for each of the 30 cloth napkins we own. If you use them every day, they certainly don’t need to match each other.
01.24.08 @ 9:07 am
I love all your cooking ideas…
They are really simple for when guests come over
Thanks reachel,
Aylish
01.24.08 @ 9:43 am
We only use cloth napkins and now are trying to use cloth bags for grocery shopping. Check out this website: http://www.reusablebags.com
01.24.08 @ 11:39 am
Dear Rachael,
We have used cloth napkins for years! Each family member has their own napkin holder and we use the napkin for more than one meal, depending of course on the messiness of the meal. I just wash them along with the towels in the weekly wash. The ones from Homespun Weavers in Pa. have lasted for years.
Sincerely,
Denise Ross
01.24.08 @ 3:33 pm
I’m not really a RR fan, but I came across this blog and your ideas are great! Thrifty, eco-friendly and useful.
01.24.08 @ 6:08 pm
Hi Bfmomma,
I agree that the ones that I listed were pricey, I too don’t pay very much at all for the napkins I use everyday. I tried to find super inexpensive ones online, like the ones I bought in the clearance aisle at Target, but for some reason, no chain stores had inexpensive ones on their sites…so I chose which ones looked the coolest.
And I agree the don’t need to match. It’s always more fun that way!
01.24.08 @ 8:34 pm
I have been making cloth napkins for years because they are so much cheaper than paper. I just buy a square of cotton print, usually on sale for less than $2 and then cut it into 4, stitch around the edges and Voila!! My husband gets teased by co-workers but who cares. You can also wrap your silverware in them in the lunch bags and the fork will not punch through anything else in the bag.
01.25.08 @ 4:34 am
What a great point on the cloth napkins! I am slowly working up to where I want to be in regards to environmentally friendly.
We do use reusable bags for grocery shopping!
We do recycle plastic, aluminum, and glass. Im working on paper (junk mail, etc).
I will start buying cloth napkins (much to my my husbands dismay with the laundry)
We are also starting a worm farm for composting (includes newspaper recycling).
I am planning a garden to keep from buying “trucked” foods or I try to buy from the organic farm that is local!
Hope this helps others in the push to be “green”
Kristine
01.27.08 @ 12:34 am
Little to pricey for me.
01.28.08 @ 12:24 pm
Hi Evette,
Cloth does have an advantage over paper napkins- though I’ve starting seeing biodegradable napkins that break down and don’t add to the landfill! This may be a good option for those who don’t want the extra work of washing cloth napkins. At least its good to have an option.
Shirley
01.28.08 @ 12:27 pm
I have been using cloth napkins for thirty plus years. raised three boys they just used them because they were always on the table.
01.28.08 @ 12:42 pm
what a great idea,something I never thought about.
01.29.08 @ 10:41 am
I have used cloth napkins for most meals for about 28 years. I have a wide variety but often use solid white and some dark blue terry cloth ones that look like little hand towels. I finally had to throw away my favorites though….rainbow stripes I bought at Bloomingdales 27 years ago! The only thing from there I could afford at the time!
My daughters are both “green”, too! One is marrying in the Spring and having an entirely “green” wedding!
01.29.08 @ 11:11 pm
We use wash-cloths as napking in our house. I can launder them once a week because they are so cheap, absorbent,and can take a beating! I keep a pile of towels, cloth napkins and wascloths in the kitchen within reach. We also totally eliminated paper towels. What a saving of trees!!!! We recycle as much as humanly possible and I am even putting together an Earth Day festival in our county called CelEARTHbration! I love our planet and I’ll do what I can to save it!
01.30.08 @ 7:51 am
Have been using cloth napkins for 20 years. I buy all white. That way you can use bleach and wash in hot water. I find them at LNT,and Bed Bath Beyond. Makes every meal special!!
01.31.08 @ 12:55 pm
I have been using cloth napkins for years.
I think they are great.
You can find everyday napkins cheap at discount stores.
I paid 99 cents for most of mine and never
over $1.50.
Of course, nicer ones for special occasions will cost more.
I think it makes your family feel special to use cloth napkins everyday.
They are great for cookouts too.
You can use themed ones for parties and match various dishware.
My mom uses about a roll of paper towels in 3 or 4 days.
My roll will last 2 or 3 weeks.
02.01.08 @ 8:28 am
Hey… why not just serve only white foods!
02.01.08 @ 12:27 pm
Well my move started many years ago making them to match her placemats. To this day I am still using them and I am sure with my additions that I must have well over 100. Wish she knew how ahead of the times she was making all these napkins that are still put to good use.
tks Mom
02.05.08 @ 10:17 am
I HAVE BEEN USING CLOTH NAPKINS FOR YEARS. I HAVE BOUGHT MOST OF MINE AT THE THRIFT SHOPS. AND THEY ARE REALLY NICE. ALSO, I BUY ON SALE, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE HOLIDAYS.I MIX AND MATCH FOR ALL FAMILY DINNERS AND THEY THINK THEY ARE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY, USING CLOTH NAPKINS!
02.05.08 @ 7:55 pm
My oldest son is 60. We always used cloth napkins. I remember the visiting. kids asking what are these. My girls use cloth napkins also. Very often we make our own to match a home made table cover
02.06.08 @ 2:30 pm
bugging people about I am still bi-polar show. I don’t know if I am in the right area if not could you get this th Rachel please. bi-polar is a very serious deasiese and effects many people that don’t know it. I struggle with it every day.But I am one that has made it quite well. Something like 2%that made it. At leas sober for 3 years and married for8.5 to the best husband it the world I also have my 88 year old parents back now God bless
Sincerely,
Ann B. Stranad
02.07.08 @ 7:58 pm
I buy bandanas from Hobby Lobby to use as napkins. They are cotton 12×12 squares. They probably have 30 different colors and prints to choose from and on sale you can get them 2 for a dollar.
02.07.08 @ 10:14 pm
I have been using cloth napkins for years. I buy mine at Walmart when I see them in the clearance section. My guests are really impressed when they see cloth napkins on the table. As far as paper towels, I still use the the select a size and a roll will last me up to three months. I rinse and reuse.
02.08.08 @ 9:48 pm
When I was in college 30 years ago my roommate and I started using cloth napkins to save money. We found a really cheap set! I’ve been using them ever since. It’s the kids’ job to fold them. My kids even took them in their lunches for elementary school (everything in it was reusable.) I’ve since realized there are a lot of things we do to be ‘green’ that save money as well. The cloth napkins last a long time. I still have some of the original from college days. Now I make most of them. It’s really easy with a serger. And there are so many cool fabrics now we have special ones for holidays and seasons.
02.11.08 @ 4:35 am
Cloth napkins are also very European. As a teen-ager I took a school trip to Europe, including several days in a hotel in a town in Switzerland. Everyone had a napkin and a cardboard envelope to put theirs in - they were expected to reuse the napkin for at least a couple of meals during their stay at the hotel.
I use dishtowels as cloth napkins - they are large enough to really cover a lap!
02.13.08 @ 9:20 am
Would you be able to do a short segment on folding cloth dinner mapkins for all occasions?
02.13.08 @ 9:52 am
I have always used cloth napkins with my family…10 years now. What I have done is I buy what is called Fat squares in the fabric sections. They are used for quilters but if you sew them end to end they make perfect cloth napkins. You can usually get a bundle for about $7 and you can buy colors according to seasons. I have had all mine for 10 years now and they are still in great shape and because they are soft cotton I never need to iron them. Sometimes I get ecletic and mix and match them.
02.13.08 @ 10:55 am
I would like to find interesting ways to fold the dinner napkins. I like to impress my guest with different things that I do. Make it special for each guest. Can anyone help with this.
02.13.08 @ 11:24 am
I do a lot of quilting, so I have lots of left over fabric, and I came across a pattern for cloth napkins…so now I have napkins for every season and mood you can possibly think of. They are larger than the ones in the store and so easy to make and great to use over and over. I love them…but I have not yet convinced my husband that if you get them dirty they can be washed. His sits next to his placesetting, neatly rolled up in the pretty napkin holder while he uses a paper napkin. Go figure!
02.13.08 @ 5:03 pm
For those of you who think that the cost of cloth napkins is too expensive … think how much you spend on paper napkins! Cloth napkins only rarely need to be replaced so you buy them only once. In the long run, cloth napkins (even “expensive” ones) are much cheaper.
02.13.08 @ 9:32 pm
I have used cloth napkins for over 15 years now. I buy them @ thrift,goodwill & find them @ all types of stores on sale after seasons are over & I find solid colors too! You don’t have to be stuck with holiday patterns if you want something simple. I also reuse for a few meals…I use a kitchen towel in a pinch* I have found though different people preffer DIFFERENT FABRICS ! My boyfriend is NOT a fan of the ployester types used @ Weddings,Banquet Halls. He likes Cotton cloth, or Linen ( Must Iron But Worth the look)
I also Make my own bag of Rags I keep in the house to clean up Pet Mistakes, To klean out litter pans.etc.
I use Cut up old bath towels,Wash cloths,bath mats for the floor,Cut up old blue Jeans,Old Shirts, I because I’m Old school Yes even cut up mens breifs.wash then use them to polish furniture W/ oil or Sprays
Kuddo’s to the lady thats going green for her families wedding!!!!!!!!!!!!To You I Bow for your efforts. I would love to find out haw it turns out -Blessed Be !!!
02.14.08 @ 4:21 pm
I have used cloth napkins since my 2 youngest kids (now 21 & 22) were toddlers… now raising my grandkids, we always use them. I also use “old fashioned” cloth diapers to clean up spills etc, as well as small faces and hands.. as for buying napkins? I just hunt the garage sales, and flea markets (not as many down south as I had up north tho.) I have not bought napkins (paper) in years, but I do keep a package on hand for parties or bar b q’s with friends….
02.14.08 @ 11:44 pm
Rachael,
I have used cloth napkins for years, but I have one complaint, so often my guest and husband use them at the table for hankies. GROSS Could you mention this on your show and let people know this is not the proper use of a cloth napkin.
02.15.08 @ 6:32 pm
I’ve just started using actual cloth napkins. I found them on clearance at Target. I opted for a poly/rayon blend since I wouldn’t have to iron them. If I had to iron them I’d end up not using them. I got 4 for $4.98 and think it was a good deal. Before we just used dishcloths, but this is certainly much nicer.
To not have to wash napkins constantly I put each person’s napkin over the back of their chair to be used at the next meal. This is especially important for my 4 year old. She is a grazer, and a fresh napkin every time she eats would mean a full load of just napkins.
I have to add in another comment. The original post made mention of a limit for tp. I do have a suggestion that is tested and proven in my house. Flushable wet wipes. You know, the kind they market for kids. They are more effective at doing the job, if you catch my drift, and so you end up using less paper in the end (ok, bad pun). I actually bought the more expensive Cottonelle ones to get the box, and now refill it with Walmart Equate wipes which are cheaper. Just make sure you get the flushable kind or you will have plumbing problems. I’ve even heard Dr. Oz endorse their use on Oprah. He said they were more sanitary. Just a suggestion.
02.16.08 @ 3:28 pm
I’ve always used cloth napkins in the kitchen as well as in the dining room. I buy them at garage sales and estate sales. I have a giant supply, both for everyday and fine dining.
02.19.08 @ 6:07 pm
I have been raised in an Italian family and my Dad always insisted in cloth napkins. I got away from using cloth for a long time, but over the last year have gone back to using them and love it. My husband used to ask why I was using cloth instead of paper and I told him, it costs less and better for the enviroment. He finally gets it now.
02.19.08 @ 7:08 pm
I am getting married in June and I am making my “hope chest.” I’ve been buying all sorts of fabric on sale for $1 a yard and I am making all my cloth napkins, pot holders and maybe placemats. I think cloth napkins just make meals so special. Plus whenever I have guests over my table will always look like I put tons of effort into it when that isn’t always the case. My finace is really excited about it too. We are trying to be more “green” by recycling paper, plastic and alluminum so this is going to be great. Wish me luck on my new life!!
02.20.08 @ 10:29 am
I love to use cloth napkins, have used them for years. I also make some of my napkins. I use a plain table cloth on my kitchen table. I then put smaller square “over cloth” down on the diagonal. The “over cloth” helps keep my table cloth clean. I buy 2 yards of a pretty print, I cut it square for the for the “over cloth” and cut the rest in 1 ft squares for napkins. I get fun prints and seasonal prints, depending on my mood. We also use napkin rings so you can use your personal napkin for more than one non-messy meal.
02.20.08 @ 10:49 am
I love this! Since I was a small child my parents expected us to use cloth napkins at every meal. The tradition continued in our family. It’s great to be contributing to the environment and continuing a family tradition.
02.20.08 @ 7:10 pm
well hey rach love your show i was wanting to tell you about making curtains {toppers} out of cloth napkins.It afordable and lots of fun if you like to change your colors for the seasons.I pick out diferrent ones from solids to plaids , turn them sideways {v shaped} overlap on the curtain rod and there you have it! when you get bored with the colors your not out big bucks,..you buy new cloth napkins…no big deal and its alot of fun!
02.21.08 @ 5:47 am
When I lived in Olympia, WA I used to go to this quaint little breakfast place where one of the waitresses had a mom who would sew up cloth napkins from scrap fabric and then give them to the restaurant to actually use with the customers…..AND the restaurant in turn, would let her “showcase” her cloth napkins for sale to patrons for $1 each! I bought two of those napkins and was convinced from then on that cloth was the way to go! Started making my own from that point on! Never looking back!
02.21.08 @ 12:29 pm
I have been using cloth napkins for about 10 years. I always buy at sale tables in all kinds of stores. The outlet mall near me has all kinds of stores with vey cheap prices. I have gotten them as cheap as 10 cents. I have so many that I only wash them when I have a full load. Also I have started using a canvas bag at the grocery store and all the plastic grocery bags I have I bring to reuse for frozen foods and meat. When they finally wear out I recycle. The check-out employees need to be retrained on how to pack using these bags. After I unload at home I just put the bags in the car so I always have them with me. I also have been using a reusable bag at other kind of stores.
02.22.08 @ 11:22 am
I’m all for cloth napkins and have been using them exclusively for at least 10 years. I get mine at the local dollar store. We use them everyday and so my kids. It’s not a big deal to throw them in the wash. I would much rather use cloth napkins than paper any day because when I do use paper napkins, I feel like I have to use so many. What a waste. One cloth napkin for me please. Ever try to eat BBQ ribs or hot wings while using paper napkins? What a joke.
02.23.08 @ 10:18 am
I’ve been using dish towels for napkins for years as well. In addition, I also rummaged at a local “going out of business” craft, drapery and upholstery store where they were selling cloth which came from their samples books. They are very large and work very well as a cloth napkin. I happened to luck into a Waverly sample book so the fabric is quite thick and durable. I used the zig zag feature on my basic sewing machine and they all turned out beautiful. Not to mention that all the samples were full of flowers and a ton of color.
Going Green has been a thing of mine for many years. I’ve been composting for a very long time and have managed to keep both a strawberry and raspberry garden well tended with our compost. I’m thinking of trying a worm composter for the the garage in the winter. I’ve yet to get up the nerve for this one.
When I clean things around the house I’ve been using rags that come from my old towels, shirts, sheets, blankets etc. Much better than using paper towels. I’m just getting into organic cleaners. I wish they made these products a long time ago.
02.26.08 @ 7:34 pm
Not only do we sit down to dinner at the dining room table every night with cloth napkins, but with placemats as well. I make all of them and have so many sets that I usually sell a few at garage sales. I give them for gifts and everyone truly appreciates it. I have fancy ones for the holidays, cute ones for backyard barbeques, and a set in almost every color…I embrodiery on some, paint on some and even adorn some with lace, ribbons, etc. I will never be without cloth napkins, and placemats..And they last for so long and get softer after every wash. It is a bit of joy for my home.
02.27.08 @ 11:16 am
Dear all, apart from the environmental-friendly aspect of using cloth napkins it is foremost one tiny stone in the mosaic of living a cultured & civilized way of life; that includes also e.g. using nice porcelain & glasses. I never understood what joy people get out of using plastic ware to eat or drink. Same goes for proper cutlery and the right use. I often see Americans sitting and eating at a table with only the right hand (using the fork)on the table, the left hand is somewhere under the table and I always wonder why? This is so wrong!(both hands should be on the table with wrists at the edge of the table.)And of course the milk drinking with a nice meal, who drinks milk with savoury food? (standard is: water & wine) All of this & so much more is indispensably linked to a civilized way of life.
Marie
02.27.08 @ 2:34 pm
I too love using cloth napkins. To keep my family of 6 from accidentally using someone elses I have individual napkin rings (each persons name or a style that is unique to that person). Works great! When the meal is done they slip their napkins back into the ring ready for the next meal…unless of course it needs a cleaning. No sharing germs.
02.29.08 @ 7:23 pm
I buy cloth napkins at Marburn. They always have hundreds available for $.50 each. I bought a set of 30 for a bridal shower and it cost me peanuts. I always use cloth napkins.
03.01.08 @ 8:18 pm
I made about 300 cloth napkins for my daughter’s wedding out of old white sheets (donated by a local motel). I painted an impressionistic floral design on them with sponges and 3 different colors of watered down acrylic paints. I then surged the edges and voila! After the wedding both sets of parents, the bride and groom and some of the guests divided them up. They do not show stains and have been washed over and over again and are holding up beautifully. No more paper toweling for us!
03.04.08 @ 8:57 am
My ADHD daughter has a horrible habit of tearing her paper napkin into little pieces and dropping them on the floor. Cloth napkins solve that problem. She can fidget all she wants. She can twist the napkins but she can’t tear them. Hurray for cloth! I buy mine from Walmart.
03.05.08 @ 3:03 pm
Hi Racheal, First of all, I LOVE, LOVE , LOVE your show. When I am not at home, I record it so I won’t miss anything. I especially love the “HUMAN LAB” segments.
In regards to this subject, I was a single parent when my daughter was 2, (she is now 35). Because we were short on cash, she and I used cloth napkins for years as well. She now makes her own and uses them with her family.
We also used our fine “Wedding” china for every meal. Afterall, who is more “SPECIAL” than family?!
I have been a Professional Waitress, (not a student or actress in between jobs), for over 30 years now, and wanted to let #26-Melinda and #28-Nancy know that a folded napkin is a very nice addition to any table. You can even fold a trivet and hot pad to put your serving plates on the table.
There are many sites listed on google under “FOLDING CLOTH NAPKINS” on different and unusual ways to fold their napkins. (Be sure to check the rating of the site that google gives in a little green circle at the right of each listing to make sure it is considered “SAFE”.)
I hope you can use this information on your quest to learn. Good luck and enjoy every new table setting you create!
Well, I have to go and work on this years Christmas gifts…You guessed it, “CLOTH NAPKINS” for the extended family. Last year I sewed “CLOTH GIFT BAGS”, no more wrapping paper for this family! You can find how to make or purchase them on google as well.
Sandy
03.05.08 @ 5:00 pm
I have been using cloth napkins for years. I just can not justify the increasse in landfills that paper napkins and paper plates cause. I have several dozen. I bought some new and found some at thrift stores. I also do not use paper plates or cups. It is too easy to fill the dishwasher. Save money and our planet and use only the real deal!!!!
b
03.06.08 @ 9:11 am
I grew up using cloth napkins…I didn’t realize that other families were dependant on paper towels until I was a teenager and started to eat meals with friends’ families. The first time my husband ate a meal with my family, he thought my mom was pulling out all the stops by putting cloth napkins on the table. I finally convinced him that it was just what my family used daily.
Back when I was a child, it was an economical choice for a family with six children; now it is also considered to be environmentally friendly!
With a young family of my own now, I use cloth napkins and re-usable shopping bags.Our three small children are learning which trash items are “rubbish” for the landfill and which belong in the recycle bin. I’m proud to say that our recycle bin fills up twice as fast as our garbage bin!
03.07.08 @ 11:18 am
Been using cloth napkins all my married life (17 years) and for some time before that. Also dishcloths, and never, never NEVER paper plates, plasticware, plastic cups. I have peiodically purchased some of the disposable items for a specific use (huge number of kids cooking out, etc) but generally, the rest of the package lasts over a year. Paper towels last about a month a roll. Once the habit is set, it’s easy. The napkins, dishcloths, and rags (torn from old clothes) all have their own laundry bin that gets brought to the basement and washed is super-hot water with oxy product.
PS - Tablecloths at all times as well!
03.09.08 @ 9:47 pm
We use the thinner, cheaper washcloths instead of paper napkins for every day. They fit nicely in a napkin ring and come in a variety of colors! A friend of mine uses the fingertip towels but they are not easy to find and cost more than the washcloths.
03.19.08 @ 12:42 am
i have cloth napkins to use when i have company for dinner. i am a batchlor and a messie eater so when i am alone here in the cave i use a kitchen towel for a napkin. it keeps most food off the floor and myself too, an after eating i can use it to dry the dishes too.
08.25.09 @ 10:12 pm
Hi Evette! I love cloth napkins, tablecloths, placemats, you name it. I am all about making my table look great - not to mention the environmental benefits. I buy my stuff at http://www.TrendexHome.com - great selection of very cute stuff and very well-priced.