The Family Cloth Vs. Toilet Paper: How Green Are You Willing to Go?

No one will argue that human consumption is having disastrous consequences on our environment. We need to take steps to reduce the amount of waste we produce and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Even small steps toward this goal require changes in habits and attitudes. Recycling aluminum cans and paper is socially acceptable. Similarly, many shoppers have begun to skip the paper vs. plastic discussion by opting to bring a reusable tote from home. What happens, though, when an item like the family cloth is introduced into the living green discussion?

Although family cloth discussions have are a hot topic on green and eco-friendly chats lately, most people are not familiar with the family cloth or its use. Even among very green households the family cloth creates controversy.

The purpose of the family cloth is to reduce the waste created by toilet paper. The environmentally unfriendly aspects of toilet paper happen before it arrives at your home. Trees are destroyed for the necessary pulp and large amounts of chemicals are used to turn the wood pulp into the soft, fluffy, white tissues we like to use. In addition, those darn packages of t.p. are big and a lot of fuel is burned getting them to their destination. These concerns are causing people to ditch their toilet paper and use a family cloth instead.

Eco-friendly families usually start out trying different cloths. Old t-shirts are the most popular source for family cloth pieces. Using them for a family cloth prevents them from becoming yet another piece of landfill. Cotton t-shirt material is soft and very absorbent. They also receive high ratings from female users because they don't leave any of that annoying tissue dust after usage.

For those unfamiliar with the family cloth, the name is somewhat misleading. No one seems to be certain where the term originated but is not an accurate title. Family members do not share a single cloth for their bathroom wiping needs. Each family has their own method, but most often a stack of clean cloth strips are left near the toilet in the bathroom. After use the family cloth is placed in a bucket. Every few days the contents are washed.