Got a treehugging friend who’s already greener than green but still wants to make an eco-resolution for the new year? Here’s an uber-green, eco-habit forming present to consider: PeopleTowels — a reusable alternative to paper towels in public bathrooms.
While everyone else is still debating the hand dryer vs. paper towel issue, PeopleTowel owners can wash their hands of the conundrum — by smugly whipping out their certified organic lightweight reusable personal towel that’s certified fair trade by Flocert and dyed with eco-friendly dyes. Keep up the eco hand-drying ways for a year, and PeopleTowelers will save a quarter of a tree — all while supporting a women-founded company that’s a proud member of 1% for the planet.
Except to be honest, staying dry PeopleTowel style’s a bit more complicated than I’d first imagined.
To test out PeopleTowels, I clipped it to the inside front pocket of my backpack before setting out for The Great L.A. Walk, a long walk down a major L.A. street that happens every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. The walk was about 17 miles long this year — which meant I’d be ducking into public restrooms at least a few times along the way.
PeopleTowels look cute and do their drying job quite well — but the problem I found was this: Accessing the towels is a rather cumbersome task. The first couple times, I only remembered the towel after I washed my hands — which meant I had to unzip and dig into my backpack with wet hands. The other options are taking out the towel before using the restroom and basically holding the towel while doing your biz — or digging through your bag for the towel post-pee and pre-wash, which seems to defeat the point of washing the hands a bit for me.
I asked the PeopleTowels PR rep about this logistical issue, and got this response: “In the spirit of zero waste we suggest that you hang your towel from a small hook in your office, or your water bottle, backpack, briefcase—whatever you use to carry ‘stuff.’” Basically, her suggestion was to hang the towel OUTSIDE of whatever’s being carried, as you can see in the photo to the right.
But while the PeopleTowels designs are really quite cute, I’m not sure I want mine flapping in the breeze every time I go out, waving like a surrender flag of sorts that declares defeat to eco-geekery. I guess I could have dealt with a towel hanging out from my backpack during The Great L.A. Walk — but I’m not going to be letting it hang from the handles of my Marc Jacobs purse any time soon.
The easiest use I see for PeopleTowels is in the office, where eco-minded nine-to-fivers can just snatch up the towel before heading over to the restroom — and hang it to dry from a drawer handle afterwards. PeopleTowels may also be popular with people more likely to carry reusable totes than dressier purses and have more green gumption than a sense of eco-style.
The 9×9 PeopleTowels come in 6 designs and are available at PeopleTowels’ online store for $9.95 each, $21 for a 3-pack, and $35 for a 5-pack. For those who might find PeopleTowels’ prices pricy, Julie Littman at Sierra Club’s The Green Life blog has some additional tips for cutting back on paper products.
Top and bottom photos via PeopleTowels; middle photo by Siel
I like the idea–but you’re right, it does seem like it could be more cumbersome in a lot of situations. I guess that I’d tuck one in one of the outside pockets of my backpack when I’m using my backpack, which would make it more accessible than inside, and less flappy than clipping it somewhere. But I suspect that it wouldn’t be that hard to take this a step further and use something I already own, like an extra handtowel.
Comment by How Green Is My Valley — November 30, 2009 @ 1:35 pm
I’m one of those weirdos who needs to use a paper towel to touch bathroom door handles on the way out, so this wouldn’t do me much good.
Comment by Chris — November 30, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
i have been having the same issue as you.. but i have been clipping mine on the handles of my purse, so it’s for me, easier to open, even if my hands are already wet.
i’m convinced, though, that i can shake off the habit. i spent my entire summer in japan where the fanciest bathrooms don’t have any paper towels at all, and everyone just carries a towel around. it can work!
it’s especially funny b/c people in japan will buy their hand towels at their bloomingdales equivalent – not just something for the eco-minded or whatever.
Comment by machiko — November 30, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Agree with the first two comments, encouraged by the third!
Comment by Katrina — November 30, 2009 @ 3:02 pm
Eh, often I just wash my hands, shake them and then wipe them on my pants.
Comment by cybele — November 30, 2009 @ 4:55 pm
Hey machiko — So do you mean that you clip it to the handle but let your PeopleTowel hang INSIDE the purse? That’s a good idea — though since most of my purses zip up, I’m not sure it would really work for me.
I am curious though — How do the women in Japan do it? Do they take out the towel pre-pee? Or dig into purse with wet hands? Thanks for the v. encouraging comment :)
Cybele — I often dry my hands on my hair (basically patting down strays)…. :)
Comment by Siel — December 2, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
I waste paper towels mostly at work so I think this would be very useful for me. I would just need to find a discreet, acceptable place in the office to hang the PeopleTowel to dry :-)
Comment by Bob — December 5, 2009 @ 5:45 am
A hook under the desk?
Comment by Siel — December 8, 2009 @ 8:46 pm