How to Make Reusable Un-Paper Towels
- By Alyssa
- 30 minutes
I really love sustainability projects. I think they are really important and that more people should start adopting clean practices in lieu of what is “easy” and disposable.
A saying that I really love is “The world does not need one person doing zero waste perfectly, but 7 billion doing it imperfectly”
So I have set a goal for myself to share with you as many sustainability projects as I can while still bringing you our classic OFS Content.
Today, I am making a sustainable alternative to paper towels (The UN paper towel) with a little bit of cotton print fabric and terry cloth.
Materials
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Video
Instructions
Step 1: Cut the fabric
Use a piece of paper as a guide.
Pre-wash your fabric so it doesn’t shrink. Layer the cotton and terrycloth. Cut panels of that are 8.5”x11.” Make as many as you want, each individual towel will be one piece of terrycloth and cotton. Cut 1 inch squares of interfacing. You will need 4 of these per towel so just make a bunch.
Step 2: Attach the interfacing
Place the interfacing on the backside of the cotton, in between the print and the terrycloth, about a half an inch from each corner. Iron it in place.
Step 3: Pin together
Pin each piece with the wrong sides together.
Step 4: Sew together
Sew around the edges of each towel. I am using a serger sewing machine, but if you don’t have one just get as close to the edge as you can with a zig-zag stitch.
Step 4: Attach the snaps
Mark 1” in from each corner. Attach two female snaps on the right-hand of the long side using a set of snap pliers. Attach the male half on the left hand of the long side. See our how to attach snaps tutorial for details. Do this to every towel.
Step 5: Roll and snap
Lay out the towels in a row and attach the snaps. Roll the towels starting at one end, I attached the end of mine to a thick cardboard roll with snap. Once it is completely rolled up its ready to be used. And now your un-paper towel roll is complete.
