Reusable Cloth Hankies

[Chickenlady]

I know they are probably better for the environment, but I think it is so gross to have to wash them. I prefer the recycled kitchen roll.

[Jane]

I've never used tissues.

I've never bought them except when a school required kids to take a box to school at the beginning of the year.

My kids all use hankies too, and son-in-law/daughters-in-law too.

I make my own. They are very simple to make. I have made them for gifts too.

I wash them in the washing machine. When I had small children I washed them with the nappies. When I have had no washing machine, I've soaked them first in washing soda and I've never had any problem with them. Nowadays they go into the wash with the serviettes, teatowels and table cloths.

[Wombat]

G'Day Jane!

Sounds sensible to me!

Nev

[diver]

I never use hankies and thankfully rarely get colds, and when I do I use tissues and put them in the compost bin. But I always used proper nappies and washed them in the washing machine. I must say I am offended when people just come on the site to sell things....if you want to advertise to the people on this site then contact Andy and pay for the space. He has just complained about a tv company doing the same thing in the welcome new people bit

[Shirley]

I use organic cotton tissues when I have a cold - I used to use cotton hankies but always lose them - a bit like socks I suppose, I could never find a pair of those until I decided it was a good idea to buy all our socks in the same colour (each of us with a different colour!)

I have seen your site mentioned before siewpeng - someone was obviously impressed by it because they passed the info on to the ivillage Going Green website - best recommendation is one made by someone else ;)

Shirlz xx

[Guest]

Apologies again to those who feel I should not have started this thread, at least not in this way.

I’m not a gambler myself but what is the betting that if I had not declared my interest and ‘hidden’ my business website in my signature as has been advised, I would be slammed by the opposite camp of writers who say I should have ‘come clean’ and not try to publicize my website in stealth?

My objective was to know what people think of cloth hankies and I appreciate the answers given. I hope it is not a crime to be passionate about wanting to do something for the environment even though it first appears to be just such a silly idea, and trying to find out what others think to take the idea forward (or not).

I don’t have a budget for advertising for now. Instead I’m committed to changing habits in plastic and paper use, and returning profits to help others remain self-sufficient. Warning: This link takes you to my blogspot with details about another unlikely product and helping the producers: http://organically.blogspot.com/2005/11/bag-it.html

Best wishes to all,

siewpeng

[Shirley]

Siewpeng

Can't please everyone all of the time can we?

It most certainly isn't a crime to be passionate about the environment - that is the reason that many of us are here on this site in the first place.

Why not join the site properly and post as a member rather than a guest - it would certainly be good to get to know you better. As I said, i have visited your website before myself and was very impressed and I know others that have been very pleased with the hankies they received from you.

I'm hoping to start my own business in a while - I can't afford to do it at the moment though as we have just moved house and are unemployed - bad way to be - but I'm hoping that I can do it even in a small way, perhaps using ebay at first to sell things.

I LOVE the silk gift bags on your site - so pretty and much better than wrapping with paper and they can be reused too.

Shirlz xx

[Guest]

Why not join the site properly and post as a member rather than a guest - it would certainly be good to get to know you better.

I LOVE the silk gift bags on your site - so pretty and much better than wrapping with paper and they can be reused too.

Shirlz xx

Dear Shirlz

If membership is only about getting to know someone better, then it's probably far better to go to my blog or my business website. I came to this site thinking honesty is the best policy (won't ever make a good politician!! ) and not try to hide behind a username.

Thanks for your kind comments about the silk bags and I went onto the iVillage forum you mentioned and spotted you there. Thank you for quoting me there. Perhaps you would like to encourage your members to create their own home-made gift wrapper as well as occupy their children's time:

http://organically.blogspot.com/2005/11 ... apper.html

I just want people to try not using paper and plastic and have fun at the same time. If people get 'inspired' to make their own gift bags, hankies (like my mum used to do for me), etc, that will be just super .

All the best with your business plans!

siewpeng

[gunners71uk]

i have to admit i dont use them much cos the clours are naff i like bright ones black pink spots and what about a hanky with a big bogey printed on it or one with a big nose, or crests of footbaal teams

[Millymollymandy]

Here I am snivelling, caught my first cold in years because I went to England! Got through more than 3 boxes of tissues - lovely soft balsam ones and for the first time in my life didn't have a bright red sore nose which peeled afterwards.

I wonder how many loads of washing 3.5 boxes of tissues worth of hankies would have been in the machine - and how good for the environment?

[Guest]

[quote="Millymollymandy"]for the first time in my life didn't have a bright red sore nose which peeled afterwards.
quote]

I am so please for Millymollymandy that she didn't have to suffer that horrible red nose. I had years of living with that.

This is what I found on a recent search: http://www.kleercut.net/en/

And this was one article that convinced me to do what I do now: http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/magazine ... issues.pdf

Best wishes to all

siewpeng

[Lyds]

Siewpeng I enjoyed your blog and am in agreement with you on the plastic/paper mission. I always go shopping with my own bags and basket and most of the shopkeepers know I dont want a bag. I also cut up paper to use for scrap, and make sure the kids dont waste it. We have a little box of paper squares by the phone and computer and I refuse to buy jotters. As for tissues see my previous post, except I cannot get my husband to give up the tissue habbit.
As for plastic it is the scourge of the age and I would love to rid the world of it. Keep up the good work

[Guest]

Dear Lyds

Thanks for supportive comments.

Can eco-warriors become successful entrepreneurs? Is it possible -- at all -- to mix business with caring for the environment? How do we make ALL businesses care for the environment?

http://organically.blogspot.com/2005/11 ... uddle.html

siewpeng

[Mandyz]

Looks like I'm dredging up an old thread.
But I have to say that I grew up with paper tissues (ah, North America, the land of the disposable) and yuk to those!!
I always had a few small colth hankies, but was never encouraged to use them. They were more for "pretty". I pulled them out when I was tearful. They were tear rags when I was a kid.
However, I find those ones too small and thin to be useful for blowing nose.

So about a month ago I bought flannel and sewed a few dozen flannel hankies. I even bought patterened flannel - all cats of some form. DH was not impressed with the pattern, but I explained I thought he would take pleasure in the idea of blowing his nose in cats. He agreed.

My hankies are two layers of flannel cotton. After the first wash they are extra soft. I love them and would never go back. My nose loves them too, as do my hands.

Next stop, fbws.

[Steve Hanson]

Dear Shirlz

If membership is only about getting to know someone better, then it's probably far better to go to my blog or my business website. I came to this site thinking honesty is the best policy (won't ever make a good politician!! ) and not try to hide behind a username. siewpeng

Hi siewpeng

As you can see from my user name you don’t have to hide and can still contribute and help other users follow your posts more effectively.

Another reason for joining would be its positive effect on you and the other members; I am too passionate about our environment but also about affecting others in a positive way. Community is the true and only way to fulfilled happiness, many people here are whether they have thought about it of not, happy to belong to this community which has the common interest/goal of caring for the environment. Our environment is more than just the air we breathe the place we live and the food we eat, it’s also the way we live. Living in community is the best-known way to improve your health and prolong your life. I could present fact to back this up, but the best way to find out anything is to experience it, so why not try and experience this community (as a member.)

I would be interested in finding out what others think about the reason this forum is so successful and why you think you are here sharing, and what you think you are sharing?

I have just done one of the things I find frustrating in life and on this form, changed the focus of the thread; please forgive me.