s/o thread - cloth napkins?

[MommytoTwo]

I confess that I am just now venturing into cloth napkins... I priced some at Kohls and Target and thought they were a little expensive - 4 for $15??? I mean I know you reuse them but I dont know ...

Do you use actual cloth napkins? Or something else?

[lovemyfamily6]

My mom has made some for us. She bought some train fabric for the boys and some snowman on a blue background fabric and some really pretty fall patterns and made 4-6 napkins of each material.

My friend buys those washcloths that you can buy in Target- the kind that are white and you get 20 or so for a few dollars. It's mostly just her dh, kids and her, so they're functional and easy and cheap.

[Aura_Kitten]

Well think about it this way... if you're using disposable napkins, that's at least $4 on a package, and that only lasts for a little while ... it's a recurring cost rather than a one-time cost.


I bought a set of reusable cloth napkins on etsy for like $15, hand-stitched linens that someone had bought used and wanted to pass on. This may seem expensive in the short term, $15 for 6, as opposed to $3 for a cheap huge pack. But in the long run, it will save a ton of money, as well as save all that paper and other resources from being used to make disposable napkins.


Cloth is always worth it. Just please please please don't buy mass-manufactured, and especially not from Target. Do you really want to use something every day knowing that kids or poor women stitched them together for low wages, working back-breakingly long hours, at sweatshops overseas..??

[LilMama23]

Check out HyenaCart. I got a bunch of cloth napkins over a year ago from a WAHM on there and I still use them every day.
And I'd rather know that my money went to support a WAHM rather than someplace like Kohl's or Target. Plus you can probably get a more customized look.

[Laggie]

I made ours out of fabric from Ikea. I like them better than the store bought kind because I made them the size of a 'lunch napkin' - about 12" across instead of the 16" of a store bought napkin. They fit in the napkin holder I used before.

Also, I found a lot of the store bought ones were not all cotton (synthetic blends) so not very absorbent.

$15 for 4 isn't that bad, though. I've seen them for double that.

[Aura_Kitten]

Originally Posted by Laggie

I made ours out of fabric from Ikea. I like them better than the store bought kind because I made them the size of a 'lunch napkin' - about 12" across instead of the 16" of a store bought napkin. They fit in the napkin holder I used before.

Also, I found a lot of the store bought ones were not all cotton (synthetic blends) so not very absorbent.

$15 for 4 isn't that bad, though. I've seen them for double that.

Even better, making your own!!!!



Also ~~ some beautiful ones
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8100274

I have been ogling these for ages now.

[MommyErin]

I find lots of sets of cotton ones at the thrift store or at yard sales all the time. I typically get 6-8 for $2 or less.

[Bitter Green]

I got a whole bunch at a thrift store for 10 cents each!

[marisa]

Yep, another thrifter here!

[jee'smom]

my mom just bought me some on sale at bed bath and beyond. 4/$10. but i cut them in quarters, adn made cute little ones that i LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! it's the perfect size for meals and i got 16 out of a pack of 4! i left a pack large for people who prefer them large, but cut the rest up.

[lovemyfamily6]

Originally Posted by Aura_Kitten

Cloth is always worth it. Just please please please don't buy mass-manufactured, and especially not from Target. Do you really want to use something every day knowing that kids or poor women stitched them together for low wages, working back-breakingly long hours, at sweatshops overseas..??

I know that Target isn't ideal at all, but for my friend the choice is paper or an affordable option. The washcloths work well for her family and she was able to spend a few bucks to try it out.

I know that I can say "Yeah, but you'd spend a few dollars every few months as a recurring expense for paper, so just spend more on cloth up front." But she's mostly mainstream so for her to move to cloth at all is a big step.

[aprons_and_acorns]

Originally Posted by lovemyfamily6

My friend buys those washcloths that you can buy in Target- the kind that are white and you get 20 or so for a few dollars. It's mostly just her dh, kids and her, so they're functional and easy and cheap.

We use these for everyday, too. A few times during the year they go on sale for 2.50 per dozen. Regularly priced they are 3.99, so very affordable either way.

[Abarat]

I made my own from some clearance fabric I found. Simple, cotton, and I just serged the edges.....find a friend with a serger? If you need something cheap lots of us have sergers and I'm sure you can find someone to make them for you. :-)

[aprons_and_acorns]

Originally Posted by Aura_Kitten

Cloth is always worth it. Just please please please don't buy mass-manufactured, and especially not from Target. Do you really want to use something every day knowing that kids or poor women stitched them together for low wages, working back-breakingly long hours, at sweatshops overseas..??

Ok, having just piped in about the Target napkins that we buy, I suppose you do have a good point about this. Especially since homemade napkins also work well and they are also readily available at thrift stores. I guess since I still buy things like packaged underwear and mass-manufactured socks and bedding I was just lumping napkins/washcloths into the same category of goods that I buy in a conventional way. But you have given me food for thought and that is good.

[artemis33]

Another vote for thrift stores and yard sales They are a little more expensive here than other people mention, but still cheaper than new and it is nice to have an idea how they'll wash up for you

[Spock]

I got most of ours at rummage sales and paid next to nothing for them. I have one set of pretty matching ones that I keep for when we have company and then a bunch of mismatched ones that we use everyday.

[MissLotus]

I found a bunch of cloth napkins at JC Penney right after Christmas...they were normally $5.99 each, but since they have snowflakes on them so I guess are "Christmassy", they were 75% off! They're nice, I was psyched! So it's worth it to check out post-seasonal clearances.

I just started using cloth napkins to cut down on the paper towels, etc...I fold them up and stick them in a pretty basket on the table so we can just grab them, I love it! I'm on a quest to find more cheap ones, too!

[tschifo]

I also bought mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond during their major clearance time. (about now, actually)

[moon child]

I have some oc ones that I got on ebay years ago and some from wahm's. We also use alot of kitchen washclothes too. I haven't had any luck at thrift stores though. I've been thinking about making some but, I don't have serger and I'm still learning to sew.

Any suggestions on an easy way to sew some that will withstand heavy wash and wear?

[rn]

I just broke down and bought some new ones as our old ones were.... well incredibly old and stained, had holes ect.

anyway. I got them on sale at Cost Plus for either 99 cents each or $1.50. I got a bunch of napkins and several new kitchen towels all for $14. (I think 6 napkins and 5 towels)

If you don't have a Cost Plus nearby you can also check Pier One for sales or even a Marshals or TJmaxx.