Unpaper Towels: Easy DIY Tutorial
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DIY Unpaper Towels are a great way to be stylish and eco-friendly at the same time! It all started when my friend Sarah posted something on Facebook that she wanted someone to get unpaper towels from a seller on Etsy for a wedding present. They were over $50, plus shipping! I told her I would make them for her instead, and thankfully, she loved the idea.
Aren’t these a great way to be more eco-friendly? We are constantly trying to find ways to reduce trash and lower our carbon footprint (like cloth diapering, making our own cleaners, ditching plastic, and making homemade products). Plus, I’m super cheap and hate buying paper towels. They are so expensive, and you literally buy them just to throw them away. Geesh. It’s like throwing money in the trash.
There are so many ways to be more eco-conscious these days, and one of the first and easiest things to do is to reduce your consumption of single-use products and reduce plastic. Single-use products are things (ahem, like paper towels) that you would use one time and then throw them away. They contribute to unnecessary and excess trash, which is never a good thing. Of course, sometimes we don’t have another option other than to use single use products. Back in the day, like when I originally wrote this post, I was a huge stickler. I used to think there was never an appropriate time for a single-use product.
Then I had kids and had to learn some grace. It’s good to be aware of problems with our environment and the unsustainable amount of trash we create. But, we each individually can only do so much, and sometimes we fall back on having to use single-use products. Like when we redid our kitchen and had to rely on a lot of paper plates and microwaveable meals. It killed me a little inside, but I gave myself grace. We’re all doing the best we can with what we have, right?
Anyway, these Unpaper Towels are a great way to ditch the paper towels and be a little more eco-friendly.
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How To Reduce Plastic Use And Single Use Products.
- Choose glass or metal straws instead of plastic ones.
- Use reusable containers to bring your lunch to work. These glass containers are awesome!
- Instead of paper napkins, try cloth napkins.
- Bring a reusable glass or metal water bottle instead of buying plastic ones.
- Keep a set of silverware in your car if you have to go out to eat.
- Use beeswax wraps instead of plastic wrap.
Unpaper Towel Materials
- Terry cloth – about 1/2 yard
- Cotton or flannel fabric – about 1/2 yard
- Matching thread
- Velcro
Unpaper Towels Tutorial
Aren’t these unpaper towels really adorable and fun? I wish I got to keep them! This is a great weekend project and so eco-friendly! What do you do to reduce trash?
Need more eco-friendly ideas… check these out!
- Easy Ways To Live More Sustainable
- Filtering water at home
- Check out this eco-friendly gift guide for adults or for kids!
Hi, I love this idea. I was wondering why do you use a cotton/flannel fabric for one side. Why not keep it as a terry so both sides can be used as to absorb liquids better.
Hey Bay. You totally could. I just like the idea of the cute pattern on one side!
Thanks for sharing! I bought two new towels one plain yellow and another a dark and light gray chevron pattern. I’m cutting them up now to make these for a Christmas gift! So excited to finish them!
p.s. a pair of snap pliers is only around $20 and super easy to use! I didnt know (until too late) that there are snap pliers for plastic snaps and ones for metal snaps, they are not interchangeable as far as I know.
I am by no means a crafty person but want to give these a try. I am trying to figure out that second step where you said sew the right sides together. Exactly which way is the terry cloth and fabric facing when I sew them together?
Thank You!
Kaitlin
Should be right sides together. That way when you sew around the edge and leave an opening you can flip them right sides out. Does that make sense?
just found your blog from Pinterest. Love this idea! On my short to do list. Thank u so very much.
Love how these came out! I’m wondering if you can use them for all the ‘tough’ jobs specifically to lay bacon to get the extra grease off? I’ve tried doing this with cloth napkins and I’ve never been able to get out the grease. Any ideas how these hold up to stains??
I’m so glad I found these. Somebody had received these (they were a little smaller) and had given them to me. I kept thinking they weren’t thick enough to be pot holders and now I finally know what they are! Can’t wait to make some of these bigger ones! Great idea!
To make half sizes for napkins or smaller jobs just make them half the size. Love this idea!!!!
Thanks Janet! That’s a great idea!
So cute!! Totally pinning this! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! I love this idea! I have been looking for a tutorial using velcro. I was wondering if you have noticed the velcro becoming dull after a few washes?
thanks!
My neighbor made some of these, and I think they’re cool. I love the fabric you used!
Navy Wifey Peters @ Submarine Sunday Link Party
http://usscrafty.blogspot.com/2013/02/submarine-sunday-19.html
I need to make these! Thanks so much for the great idea!
What a cute idea! the colors seem like they would make cleaning fun. thank you for sharing. Found you at craft-o-maniac Monday.
Leslie
http://www.thememorynest.blogspot.com
I was so excited when I found this fabric! I don’t know if it actually makes me want to clean haha! Thanks for coming over Leslie! Hope to hear from you again!
That is such a cool idea. Thank you for sharing. I’m going to pull out my ancient sewing machine and try this.
I love this! I would love for you to come over to my blog hop and share this!
http://countrifiedhicks.blogspot.com/2013/02/mondays-with-countrified-hicks-blog-hop.html
I LOVE this idea! I’m going out to get the materials today to make them. This is the perfect birthday gift for my mom-in-law who is against the use of paper towels. I’m buying extra because I want a roll too! Thank you so much for sharing this!
this is awesome! love ur site! I am stopping by from i should be mopping the floor blog hop! WOuld love a visit back thanks girl!
Thanks Susie! I would love to visit your blog!
These are awesome! I have a snap tool and snaps…they are sold at Joanna in their cloth baby lines supplies line. Babyville Boutique…I cant wait to make these! What it the girth when they are all rolled up? Will they fit on a papertowel dispensor?
Thanks Melanie! I wish I could tell you the girth but I can’t because I gave them to a friend as a wedding gift! They should be able to fit on a normal towel dispenser! A snap tool would be much easier! I would have rather done that but didn’t own one so just went with the velcro! Hope you have fun making them!
Oh my gosh, I love this!
Definitely will need to make some of these! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Visiting from the Pin It – Make It link-up — what a cute blog! 🙂
Shannon
Fabulously Vintage
Shannon Loves Design
Those are really cute for a gift. Me, I just use cut up pieces of old material. It’s a little simpler! And if I have to clean up something really gunky and decide to just throw away the rag, then I’m only throwing away something that was destined for the garbage anyway.
These are SO cute! Do they really work well and stand up to washing, etc? I’ve been wondering how long they last.
They should hold up fine but if your worried about the velcro I would use snaps instead! Plus it may take less time than sewing the velcro!
What a great idea, and such pretty fabric color choices you made! We are semi-eco-friendly and use cloth baby wipes, but still haven’t ditched the paper towels 100%. I love this idea and will definitely be sharing it!
Thanks Jelli! One step towards being eco friendly is better than nothing! Good luck!