Fabrics that take care of us: why go back to cloth handkerchiefs?

1 · My experience with cloth handkerchiefs

From my mother I inherited patience, empathy and a smile, but also the fact that I was a little girl who often caught colds. When we were little, my sisters and I each had our own handkerchief that my mother carefully folded into the pocket of our school bib. I remember that mine had a picture of Bambi on it. In those days, handkerchiefs were commonplace.

Soon after, we replaced tissues with the famous Kleenex packets, which were theoretically much more practical and hygienic. But is this really the case?

2 · Tissue versus paper handkerchiefs

2.1 · Why aren’t paper handkerchiefs so environmentally friendly?

In reality, not all the benefits attributed to paper tissues are true. As you might imagine, disposable products are bad for the environment. Although they are made from cellulose, a biodegradable material, their short lifespan creates tonnes of unnecessary waste.

In terms of water use, it may seem that washing a tissue takes more water than making a paper tissue. However, when you compare the amount of water used to produce the two and their lifespan, it turns out that tissue uses 9 times less water.

What’s more, the short lifespan of tissue means that trees have to be cut down all the time, with all that entails: planting specific species (to replace native vegetation), harvesting, processing and transporting. It takes three times as much energy to produce a paper handkerchief as a tissue.

2.2 · Why aren’t paper handkerchiefs as hygienic as tissues?

The question is whether all this overproduction and resulting pollution is offset by improved hygiene and a contribution to public health.

In reality, there’s no evidence that it does. In fact, germs remain on our hands after using any type of handkerchief, causing infection through contact with our dirty hands. The only way to avoid infection is to adopt simple hygiene habits, such as washing your hands with soap after using any type of handkerchief.

2.3 · Why aren’t paper handkerchiefs so practical?

All that remains is to assess the practicality or otherwise of each type of sling, which is entirely subjective.