A few years ago Jevan and I decided to go paperless in the kitchen. We noticed how many napkins and paper towels we were going through on a monthly basis and were a little embarrassed. And, shocked at how much trash two people could generate from paper alone. At some point in our lives, it became second nature to grab a paper towel to wipe one little spill on the floor or a handful of napkins for dinner. After thinking about all that waste I didn’t want it to be second nature.
So we gave up paper. Just like that. Although I can’t say it was completely easy. I felt a little guilty wiping a spill on the floor with a clean towel then tossing it in the laundry. But over time, we’ve worked out a method that makes sense for us; we still have a stock of paper napkins for when we have more than 12 over for dinner, and we don’t wash napkins and towels after each use unless they are obviously dirty. We also accumulated enough hand towels and napkins, for cleaning, hand drying, and for meals.
Each time I head home, my mom always tries to give me something from the house. This last trip was no different. She let me dig through her stash of vintage linens. I came up with a handful of things I crammed in my carry-on. My favorite is above, the vintage blue and white table cloth. It’s well worn. Scattered with tiny holes and patched in places. You can tell many meals were had on this table cloth. I remember it from when my brother and I were tiny. Other finds were a matching set of 8 napkins and a table cloth with a yellow and green border, almost a full set of 70’s Vera Neumann napkins, and a purple, blue and yellow table cloth. All very springy.
If you are searching for your own, you can find a number of vintage Vera Neumann on etsy. She also does more than just napkins, she’s known for her bold patterns and color schemes. You can find her fabric on dresses and scarves at Anthropologie. Here’s another great set of vintage napkins or just check around at local antique shops. If you are feeling crafty you can pick up a few yards of fabric and hem all sides. Voila, new napkins or hand towels.
I also love these Printed vintage napkins with Georgia O’Keefe’s Irish soda bread recipe.
Photos: 1,2,3 and 4. the K.I.D Collective, 5. Pilosale
