Like any paper product, I think that reducing facial tissues is an easy way to change our habits and help the environment. For years, Kimberly Clark, of Kleenex fame, chose to ignore environmental concerns of cutting down virgin forests for their products because they felt these trees provided “superior softness.” Oh, dear… Facial tissues, like other paper products, involve trees being cut down, transportation pollution getting the trees to a mill, the pulp to a factory, the product to a packaging plant, and so on. Many, many facial tissues use bleach to whiten their product, which may be leaked into waterways and doesn’t sound the healthiest for our bodies either. The aloe tissues use mineral oil, a petroleum product, to create their softness. No, thank you. And, tissues are yet another product that is thrown away after only seconds of use. Reducing our use of tissues is a no-brainer.
REDUCE
So, how do we start reducing our use of tissues? My favorite way is with cloth hankies. Cloth is SOOOoooo much softer– no red or chapped noses. They are so much cheaper. They make way less mess. They’re better for your health, if you consider the bleach or petroleum products found in some tissues.
I think when some people think of a handkerchief, they think of an old, snotty rag kept in a shirt pocket. But it really doesn’t have to be that way. At our house, we have a huge supply of cloth hankies, and since they just go in with our clothes wash, we use what we need. We use a smaller 7.5” square size, rather than the larger 12” size. Cloth handkerchiefs can be purchased on places like Etsy, but you can also easily make your own, as they are just square pieces of cloth with a stitched border. Just remember, cotton is a notoriously wasteful crop, so try reusing material you have or finding cloth made from organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo.
I used to carefully fold our cloth nose wipes and place them in a reused tissue box so they would dispense one at a time, but that didn’t last long for me. It’s easy enough to do (a tutorial), but it’s even easier to just put a stack of clean ones in a basket or a drawer. Used ones just go in with our regular wash, whether it’s clothes or towels or sheets. They always come out clean and fresh! I can’t speak highly enough of using cloth—cheaper, softer, better for the environment, and bonus, you can have fabric with cute little designs if you’d like!
If you’re REALLY not ready to part with disposable tissues, just start by being more conscious as to how many you’re using. Look for 100% recycled paper and a minimum of 40% post-consumer content. Look for tissues that are process chlorine-free (Beware of “elemental chlorine-free!”) Also, be aware of what packaging the tissues come in. Instead of buying a huge group of travel packs, individually wrapped, buy a bigger box and divvy them out into small, reusable zippered pouches.
REUSE
This seems like a strange thing to address. Once a disposable tissue is used, that’s that. But, say you have a stack of tissues that was sitting in the car and was squished or stepped on, or for whatever reason you don’t want to use these unused tissues as tissues. Well, keep them, and use them to wipe baseboards or clean up little messes. Use them for eyeglasses or wiping your dashboard. Don’t toss unused tissues!
The item you would most likely be looking into reusing would be the box itself. As with anything, you could search this and find a million ideas. My favorites are decoupaging or decorating it and using as an organizer, using as a diorama box, storing crayons, punching out small bits for gift tags, or playing a fun family game called “Junk in the Trunk.” In fact, at one point I wanted to try this game and had to ask people for empty tissue boxes since we haven’t had any in years.
RECYCLE?
Here’s what I’ve read in my recent Internet search on this:
–Unused tissues are sometimes recyclable (But why on earth are you getting rid of unused tissues?) And mostly, I read that the fibers are too small to actually recycle…
–Used tissues are definitely not. However, there are some people who compost these, especially if they’re unbleached. Research it more and see if this is for you.
–The cardboard boxes that facial tissues come in are definitely recyclable! Flatten them and put in with your other cardboard.
—Any outer plastic wrap should be able to go in with plastic bag recycling, but you might want to double-check with your local bag recycling facility.
ENDING THOUGHTS
Reducing our use of tissues is a great way to help the environment. And, as I said, for us, using cloth has been a far superior option. We far prefer the softness and cost-effectiveness of cloth vs. the scratchy paper ones that you have to keep purchasing. Consider making the switch and giving it a try!
Thank you for being here. Your actions can and will make a difference!