These days, reusable paper towels are most often made from cellulose (wood pulp), cotton, or bamboo. These materials need to be grown or extracted from the environment, just like paper does to make paper towels. However, fewer raw materials go into reusable products, meaning they’re often more sustainable from a production standpoint. Some reusable paper towels can also be composted after use, another environmental benefit. Once you invest in a pack, commit to trying them out for at least a week using the following tips and see if you can make it work: If You Care Reusable Paper Towels ($11.79/12-pack) Three Bluebirds Swedish Dishcloths ($6.95/towel) Ever Green Cloth Sponge Cloth ($14.99/towel) Lola’s Wowables Reusable Paper Towels are made from the same materials as Swedish Dishcloths, but they come in roll form instead of individual sheets. One roll has 30 sheets, each a little larger than your normal paper towel sheet, and is made to last over two years. Lola Wowables Reusable Paper Towel ($19.99/30-pack) Eco Nuts Reusable Towels ($9.99/25-pack) Food 52 Five Two Compostable Sponge Cleaning Cloths ($29/10-pack) Grove Co. European Dish Cloths ($7.95/2-pack) Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
