I am always looking for new ways to be more environmentally sensitive. My goal is to teach my kids these valuable lessons so that they will carry them into adulthood.
Within the past few weeks, our family switched from paper to cloth napkins. I actually had purchased a few dozen cloth napkins at a yard sale several years ago but never used them. They were just plain cloth napkins and the kids liked the paper napkins that always had flowers, bugs, fruit or some other design on them.
I recently discovered LunchMates from Lilypad Baby. I think I first met the mom entrepreneur owner on Twitter, but I cannot remember. When I contacted Kathie Papera, she was very willing to send me a sample of her 5-pack cotton napkins.
I was anxious to finally make the switch, but the real test was to see what my boys thought. Once they saw the fun designs, which included airplanes, fish, cowboys, bicycles and cars they made the switch permanently. Now they fight over the designs at dinner time.
Lilypad LunchMates is a set of 5 reusable cloth napkins that comes in coordinating
Vintage Boy, Bright Fun Boy, Flower Girl and Bright Girlie Girl. The company uses repurposed fabric to keep it from going in the landfill. That means they are not purchasing "styles" to sell, rather they are using the fabric that they liberated from the cutting facility as well as their excess fabric that would typically just get tossed.
This was a refreshing change from paper napkins. My boys could get the fun designs they like, and we could all have peace of mind knowing we were helping to save natural resources - trees.
If you figure a package of 400-count paper napkins averages about $4.00, and if a family of four uses one pack every six weeks, paper napkins can cost a household about $35 a year. For the same amount of money, you can purchase
15 Lilypad LunchMates (three sets of five at $11.95 each).
Their napkins are 100% cotton and handmade in the USA. They are also durable and hold up to multiple washings. I was worried that they may stain easily from jelly, spaghetti sauce and other foods, but the fabric cleans great.
Lilypad Baby may not be well known for their fun and functional cloth napkins, but they are recognized for their personalized gifts for
babies,
moms and
dads.
I liked the product so much that I just purchased all their styles. I am going to replace the old yard sale napkins I bought that are not as fun.
I am always looking for new ways to be more environmentally sensitive. My goal is to teach my kids these valuable lessons so that they will carry them into adulthood.
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