Cloth Napkins: the easiest zero waste swap there is!
Probably one of the easiest zero-waste alternatives to introduce to your lifestyle, cloth napkins are both practical and pretty! They come in a variety of colours and textures so you can adopt one that perfectly fits your taste. And don’t let yourself be swayed by tradition—you can start consuming less without spending a fortune. Start by treating yourself, then your family or loved ones… And eventually, your guests! You truly don’t need to buy 20 cloth napkins right off the bat. Here’s a short guide to help you choose the best napkin for your needs.
Solid colours or patterns on your cloth napkin?
Of course, the first thing to consider when choosing cloth napkins is your personal taste and home decor. This will help you determine the colour scheme that works best with the ambiance you are trying to create and your personality. But there are also some practical aspects to consider, such as who will be using the napkins and when. For instance, if you have children—you know that meal times can get messy. So a napkin with dark colours and patterns will last longer as stains won’t be as visible on them.
Cotton napkins, linen napkins or both?
Here at TSHU we make napkins for everyday life. But they’re so pretty that you can use them for special occasions, too. In our selection you’ll find
Organic Cotton Sateen Cloth Napkins
These cotton napkins are the silkiest and softest napkins to the touch. Made with high quality organic sateen, they are lightweight and slightly shiny and currently come in solid colours only.
Cotton Cretonne Napkins (certified Oeko-Tex)
Cotton cretonne napkins are thick and extremely durable. They come in a variety of cool patterns of Japanese inspiration—and a few timeless shades: blue, yellow, orange, black and white and more.
Italian Linen lined with oeko-tex certified cotton
Very elegant, our Italian linen cloth napkins are made with lightweight, supple linen and lined with cotton for a better hold (and less ironing—you’re welcome!) Thicker than cotton sateen, they are quite pleasing to the touch and can absolutely impress your dinner guests.
Single napkins or sets?
Here at TSHU, we believe that napkins should be adopted without following any rules or traditions. What do we mean by this? Basically, if you have a family of 4, we feel that shouldn’t feel obligated to purchase 4 or 8 matching napkins. In fact, there is something to be said for each having their own colour or pattern of cloth napkins: it’s a great way to remember who is who’s.
Personalized Napkins
Another great way to distinguish every family member’s cloth napkin is to get them personalized with embroidery: either with a full name or initials. One of our clients even got some extra napkins embroidered with “VIP” for her guests… An idea that we adore and love to share!
Cloth Napkins for grown-ups and for kids
If you’re considering purchasing cloth napkins for the whole family, you might enjoy learning that we make napkins for adults and for children. What’s the difference? Size, mainly.
- Our cotton napkins for adults measure 42 × 45 cm
- Our children’s cotton napkins measure 34 × 34 cm
- Our linen napkins lined with cotton are slightly smaller in size, measuring 32 × 32 cm.
Cloth napkins for your home and on the road
So obviously, cloth napkins are a great addition to your home for a more eco-friendly lifestyle. They help you reduce waste as you can wash and reuse them for a long, long time (as an indicator, our family has held on to the same cotton napkins for almost 8 years now and most of them are still in pretty good shape!)
But they’re also a fantastic asset for when you are on the road! They work great to take a sandwich with you on the road, or bring with your lunch bag to work. The point is, wherever you bring it, you’ll save trees!
One cloth napkin = one tree saved, and another planted
Aside from saving trees when you use cloth napkins instead of their paper alternative, did you know that we commit to planting a tree for each cloth napkin you purchase? Yep, we work with the WeForest Foundation to plant trees every time you make a gesture for our planet.
Giving cloth Napkins a trial run
Are you unsure that you’ll fall in love with cloth napkins right away? We understand that changing your habits can be intimidating, which is why we have sample cloth napkins available at a much, much lower rate. How come? Well, when our products aren’t 100% up to our standards because they are stained, imperfect or simply because we’ve decided not to put up a certain style for sale), we make them “orphans”—meaning that they are available at a reduced rate so you can test them out.