Kitchen & Table Linen
Tea towels, napkins and placemats in linen, hemp and cotton.
The Table Edit
Tea towels first, then napkins and placemats. Linen and hemp are the right fibres here because both are genuinely absorbent from the first wash, unlike cotton terry, and both soften over years instead of wearing out.
Why does my tea towel just push water around? Usually a synthetic blend, or fabric softener build-up coating the fibres. Pure linen, hemp or cotton with no softener will absorb properly.
Are cloth napkins realistic for everyday use? More than you would think. They go in with the normal wash, and a set lasts years, which compares well against a paper packet a fortnight.
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