Hankie Hankers

[primsong]

I've been trying to do some gradual switching away from consumable paper goods this past year as one of our little economizing things - kind of like more hanging out the wash to dry when I can, changing to cloth napkins (love them!) and the switcheroo on ladies products to washable flannel ones (super love them!). This time it's hankie time. Bought a nice lot of vintage handkerchiefs on Etsy that were being sold as 'imperfect' because they had little pulls, spots, etc. that made them less than desirable for collectors.

As I told the lady, I didn't mind them being less than perfect because I wasn't looking to collect or frame them, I wanted them "for hankies." She wrote back that she loved the idea and had decided to set aside some of the ones she'd been selling in a little basket "as hankies" herself.

I have two little baskets of them so far, looking for some more. We really like them now that we're used to them, they don't disintegrate in your pocket when you wash your clothes for instance, last better and are softer and prettier than kleenex. We figure we'll still use tissues when we're sick as germ-containment but otherwise I'm now wondering why we didn't do this sooner, they're so... nice!

Comments

[meneleth.livejournal.com]

Was it you that recommended Party in Your Pants a while ago? I've been dithering about ordering their equivalent of pantyliners. So, you really do like them?

Good for you working on the whole economizing/good for ecology thing. We've switched almost entirely to cloth shopping bags (still get paper once in a while to bag our recycling) and I love them.

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Yes indeed! - and I tried a couple other brands of similar liners as well but ended up just ordering more from the Party folks. They're slightly more spendy but they really wash up and dry well. I'd hate to go back to paper now, they're comfy.

I'm accumulating a collection of cloth and sturdy bags in the back of my car, I take a couple in with me every time I shop, though I use the paper ones as garbage/recycle liners so I still get some of those as well. The shops give a 5-cent credit for every bag I bring, as it saves them paper ones. I'm finding I enjoy the colors and variety it brings to something as mundane as shopping, plus they can hold more so it's fewer trips from the car when I get home.

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Oh, one other thought - because they snap around instead of using adhesives they can migrate slightly, so I've ended up not using the sample pantyliner one, it's too small and wanders off. I'd recommend going with a style that is slightly longer so that small migration makes no difference.

[stunt-muppet.livejournal.com]

My family still uses disposable napkins most of the time, but we're starting to transition to re-usable ones just because it's less expensive in the long run, not to mention more environmentally friendly! Already we've noticed we have a lot less trash, which is nice.

Good luck on your hankie quest. :)

[primsong.livejournal.com]

I still pull out the paper napkins if it's something that really stains, like spaghetti, but I'm still on the same pack of paper I bought this past summer which I think is just great.

I admit I'm hoping to find a big, floppy red hankie like Two's, just for the fun of it. My favorite so far is a gorgeous blue maple-leaf pattern...I'm only getting the printed cotton ones with no fancy trims so they wash really easy too.

[estellye.livejournal.com]

A Party in Your Pants order will finally be placed as part of my "going green and non-toxic" tax return usage. I'm thinking I will be a quick convert. Other purchases will include a natural mix-in for white vinegar to be used as fabric softener, a gentle natural laundry detergent, a natural soap for the dishwasher and another for hand washing dishes, and some SLS free shampoo to go with the conditioner I already have. All those items were found on Etsy of course, lol.

I really like the hanky idea. I actually already have a bunch that were my grandmother's and they aren't in collectible condition, either. I think I'll give it a try. I also have to get used to fabric table napkins. I have a tendency to avoid getting them dirty since they are cloth. LOL! I need to get over that.

[primsong.livejournal.com]

My aunt mentioned using vinegar as a clothing softener - she's trying to get away from anything chemical that she can. I'll have to look up how that's done. I wonder if your clothing ends up smelling like pickles, tho'... We've also gone to using castille for bath soap, though I don't really like it as a shampoo, keep on experimenting! If you find something really outstanding, let us know, I'm sure there's other people trying to do the same thing in one way or another.