Single-use items are pretty much universally bad for the environment, and paper towels are most definitely included in that list of no-no items. Unfortunately, people still use tons of paper towels, so many in fact that typical use in the US amounts to around 40 pounds of paper towel per person per year.

But, aren’t paper towels just paper? Can’t paper be recycled? Despite being made from plant materials, used/soiled paper towels can’t be recycled, meaning they most commonly end up in landfills or floating around as litter.

Rather than invest in another 30 pack of paper towels, try reusing your old clothes, towels, and bedsheets in the kitchen! Cutting up items like old t-shirts, dresses, pants, and other used items you no longer want to use can be a great (and eco-friendly) substitute to paper towels. You can create a space for your home-made kitchen rags on your counter in a bin, kept folded in a drawer, or even stuffed into a big bag for effortless organization.

Did you know…

• The US produces 3000 tons of paper towel waste annually
• Manufacturing 1 ton of paper towels utilizes 20,000 gallons of water
• 110 million trees are felled each year for paper towel production alone