While paper towels are convenient for spills and quick pick-ups, they’re not super convenient for the planet. While paper towels only take 2-4 weeks to break down, the real issue lies in how they were made and how much of them we go through.
Paper towels are extremely resource-intensive, with over 5 billion pounds of paper towels being used each year (that’s bout 15 pounds or 50 paper towels rolls per person, per year). It takes 110 million trees and 130 million gallons of water each year to make that amount of paper towels.
Paper tissues were introduced in 1907 as an alternative to cloth towels in public restrooms to try and prevent the spread of illnesses. Since then they’ve become a staple in most households used to clean anything and everything. The only problem is they can only be used once and they’re trash forever.
My favourite version of sustainability is learning for generations past. Before we started taking advantage of the planet for our convenience, we used to use and reuse time and time again. And when you think about it, isn’t that more convenient? Just washing a rag instead of running to the grocery store to get more disposables?
There are many options out there like purchasing your own reusable paper towels or just using rags instead. Both are valid options!
But if you don’t want to pay for unpaper towels and you want something a little cuter that can go on your paper towel roll, then you can make some! It’s super easy and so cheap!
DIY Unpaper Towels:
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What you’ll need:
- Fabric (I recommend fleece or flannel)
- Needle and thread or sewing machine
The method:
- Cut your fabric into 11 inches by 11 inches
- Hem around the edges to prevent fraying either by hand or a zig-zag stitch using a sewing machine
- DONE! You can either fold these guys or roll them up and store them on a paper towel roll
Yes, it really is that simple! You can use these guys for any spill or mess you may encounter in your home and then simply throw them into the washing machine to be used time and time again!
I thrifted the fabric that I used for this DIY unpaper towel set. I believe it was between $2-$4. Seriously, so cheap! And so easy!
This not only saves waste but making your own DIY unpaper towel also saves so much money!
I mean it when I say that sustainable living does not have to be expensive. And it can be fun! My DIY unpaper towels are made from white fleece but you could find any fun pattern to use to match your home decor! Have fun with it!
Ps. If you don’t want to make your own unpaper towels, that’s fine! I love the brand Marley’s monsters and they have GREAT unpaper towels!
Thank you so much for reading! Please don’t forget to share this post and follow me on Instagram for daily low waste living tips!
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