I gave up paper towels ages ago. Literally years.

Since then, I’ve tried to move from paper napkins to cloth with a small degree of success before now.

A few months ago (while at my favorite thrift store) I found a stack of restaurant napkins in a rich burgundy for fifty cents each. I plopped down $20 and took 40 of them home. Forty may seem excessive, but I like the idea of never having to buy daily-use napkins again. I kept out 20 to use and packed the others away to replace these as they become worn.

Over the months since then, I’ve not bought a single paper napkin. I store the cloth ones near the table and set them before every meal. Then they go to the laundry. They are great quality, so even after the months of washing and reuse, they look great.

Paper may be more “simple” for some people, but I like the idea of having one less thing to buy at the store and producing less waste every day.