Facts I Bet You Didn't Know About Paper Towels

Paper towel storage hacks and tricks are all over the internet. Using tension rods, cabinets, divider baskets or bungy cords to suspend them. 

But how many can you actually carry home? Bulk buy bags often have more than one layer of plastic wrap, and it splits as you throw it in your boot! Now you have loose rolls everywhere.

Have you even thought about the lifespan of those extra rolls you bought thinking it was a cheaper option to purchase more? You need to keep them dry, away from direct sunlight, and their absorbency diminishes over time if any dampness or in humid air they can develop mould. Towels also need to be stored carefully to prevent damage and not flatten the rolls. 
 

You think they are just paper huh? but when you look deeper into the facts, from a tree to manufacturing to packaging to using and discarding there are multiple factors that significantly negatively affect the environment. Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, synthetic molecules including benzene, xylene, formaldehyde can be absorbed by the body. 

Loved by silverfish, cockroaches, bed bugs, pantry moths and mice. A fabulous source of starchy nutrients and a lovely place for them to build nests, lay eggs or hide. 
 

Paper towels can't go in sewer systems. They expand when wet from the added chemicals. They expand to full absorption size and stay that way, creating the potential for clogging pipes and service lines. Not ideal in compost as they have been heavy bleached, and do not put any contaminated towels that have contacted harmful chemicals, non-organic substances, oils or grease. 

Hoarding and cluttering with paper products can lead to an increased chance of attracting bugs into your home. In some countries termites love the refined wood in paper towels and enjoy the quick snack. 

Most are made from virgin tree pulp. However 38% recycled paper and non-wood fibres like hemp, kenaf 7% is helping, although recycled fibres still require the bleaching and cleaning component and significant water to process. 

Paper towels can't be recycled because the fibre threads are too short. So once you have used it for soaking spills, wrapping sandwiches, drying hands, wiping windows, picking up pests, cleaning the bench, covering the fruit bowl, you can see how the cost escalates quickly and the stored rolls disappear. 
 

So what can you use instead? 

• Start by just using LESS.
  
• Look at all the alternatives you already own from old sheets, towels, tea towels, rags.
  
• Use cloth napkins / HANK options.
  
• Old t-shirts or newspapers..
  
• Reusable cloths designed to replace paper towels and roll up for reuse.
  
• Swedish Dish cloths (plug!) Each one replaces 17 rolls of paper towels!
  
• Reusable cloths designed to replace paper towels and roll up for reuse