Tag: cloth napkins

Lighten your load & become more eco-friendly with Dot and Army!

Published on by steve mckenzie's3 Comments

We are head over heels with just about anything from our new friends, Dot and Army. And – bonus – they’re amazin, Earth-friendly wares are made in Brunswick, Georgia! With anything from classic napkins, to bowl covers, reusable sandwich bags and so, so much more, we think you’ll be falling for them too!

Think about how many paper towels, plastic baggies and cling wrap scraps make their way into your garbage every week… Now, multiply that by the weeks in a year, how many of your neighbors use these products the same way, etc. You get the picture; it’s a lot.

Thanks to Dot and Army (we met at The Southern C), now we can combat some of that garbage and put their beautiful, handmade textiles to use all around our homes! Saving the earth on “unpaper towel” at a time.

Dot and Army’s “unpaper towels”

Their unpaper towels – sold by the dozen – are a brilliant replacement to traditional paper towels. Once soiled, pop them in the wash and they’re ready to re-use in no time!

Reusable snack baggies – yes, please!

And how about a solution to all those pesky plastic baggies we’re always tossing in the trash? Dot and Army offers a fantastic solution to these with their denim reusable snack bags. Super stylish for you or your little ones! Simply shake out and reuse or launder for especially dirty bags.

Dish scrubbers that are beautiful AND functional!

Another favorite product by Dot and Army are their reusable dish scrubbers. Forget those nasty sponges, which can harbor all sorts of unsavory germs. When necessary, these scrubbers are machine washable. And so durable – they’re made by hand!

Brilliant, reusable bowl covers.

Never hassle with cling wrap again, thanks to Dot and Army’s bowl covers. Ideal for baking bread or bringing a beautiful dish of something to a pot luck. And, of course, they’re reusable too – and make a wonderful gift for the chef in your life!

Beautiful napkins, for everyday use.

We invite you to visit the steve mckenzie’s showroom and check out all of Dot and Army’s fantastic products and learn how they may aide in streamlining your life and help to make it more eco-friendly.

SaveSave

How to Make Earth Day Count

Published on by steve mckenzie'sLeave a comment

Each year we celebrate Earth Day and use this day to recognize all we can do to protect our Earth and its natural resources. This day may also bring about overwhelming thoughts of how much there is to be done to ensure we leave our Earth a better place for future generations.

bigstock-Earth-Day-Poster-44148016

Although it’s easy to get lost in the big picture, there are small things you and your family can begin doing today to make a more positive impact on the Earth. As one person, you may not be able to save the rain forests, but you can work to share small changes with those around you and together, you can make this Earth Day count!

A few of our favorite, simple, “green” practices are:

Use Cloth Napkins

A selection of some of the fabric napkins available at the steve mckenzie's showroom.
A selection of some of the fabric napkins available at the steve mckenzie’s showroom.

We’ve talked about the benefits of cloth napkins before, but could always use a refresher! Not only are cloth napkins a more eco-friendly option, versus paper napkins, they’re also beautiful.

Neutral cloth napkin selection at steve mckenzie's.
Neutral cloth napkin selection at steve mckenzie’s.

Many times, you won’t need to wash your cloth napkins after every use – each family member leaves their napkin at their place at the table – which increases the eco-friendliness of these napkins. When you’re ready to launder them, don’t devote an entire load to napkins, simply toss them in with another laundry load, and line dry, if it’s a nice day out.

Colorful cloth napkins at steve mckenzie's.
Colorful cloth napkins at steve mckenzie’s.

Consider Natural Solutions Using Lemons

Sparkle-Glass-Coffee-Pots-and-Pitchers

Recently, Limoneira shared some excellent tips, reminding us of all the wonderful uses for lemons around the house. Some of those uses include…

Clean-Copper
Cleaning Copper with Lemons

Cleaning copper – make a paste with lemon juice and salt. Rub copper using a rough cloth, rinse and dry to see shine.

Natural-Insect-Repellent-For-Stored-Clothing

Insect repellent for stored clothes – take a lemon and use a knife or nail to make small holes all over. Push cloves in those piercings. Hang the lemon outside in the sun to dry. It may take 4 days or a week to dry, depending on the weather conditions. When it is completely dried, it becomes a natural insect repellent. It works the best when kept in the wardrobes, cupboards, and suitcases containing clothing. This does not only repels the insects but also takes away the stale odor from the stored clothing.

All-Purpose-Cleaner

All purpose cleaner – add an equal amount of lemon juice and water to a spray bottle is an effective kitchen and bathroom cleanser.

So many of these natural lemon solutions take the place of chemical cleansers and other not-so-Earth-friendly options. If you could incorporate only one or two of these ideas into your lifestyle, you’ll be well on your way to becoming more “green!”

download

These ideas can help you live every day as if it were Earth Day, and will hopefully inspire those around you to do all they can do become more eco-friendly. Happy Earth Day to all!

Tablescape Thursday – Creative Cloths

Published on by steve mckenzie's3 Comments

In the McKenzie household, we’re big into cloth napkins, not only do they make for a much prettier table, when compared to their paper companions, they’re certainly more eco-friendly! We utilize cloth napkins daily, even at a simple meal for just the two of us. So, it goes without saying that cloth napkins were an imperative part of our linen offering when initially curating our collection for steve mckenzie’s…

steve mckenzie's cloth napkin
The Essential Napkin, in Green, from steve mckenzie’s.

Cloth Napkin Tips from Jill McKenzie:

  • To increase the eco-friendliness of the cloth napkin, don’t wash after every use. Think about it – typically adults, and even older children, won’t soil their napkin after every use. Save on the water and energy used to clean the cloths by washing only when necessary. After each meal, ask family members to simply leave their cloth napkins in their seat, that way, when setting the table for the next meal, they’ll use “their” same napkin again.
  • When your cloth napkins have become soiled, toss them in the wash with your other laundry, so you don’t devote an entire load (and the resources) to only cleansing cloth napkins. Use eco-friendly detergent, wash in cold water, and when the weather’s nice, line dry. Nothing’s better than linens dried in the sun on a warm day!
DSC_0107
An assortment of Red Essential Napkins, perfect for Valentine’s Day!

For most meals at home, and for our tablescapes here at steve mckenzie’s, we don’t utilize “fancy” napkin folds… Just a simple tri-fold, or rolled/stuffed napkin ring works well for our needs!

photo (2)

Many times, it’s the napkin rings that make the tablscape – the beaded napkin ring pictured above add sparkle to the tablesetting; something we see as an essential element.

NPWCAN18SW_Provence

Get creative with your cloth napkin/ring pairings, and consider making your own cloth napkins if you can’t find just the “right” ones for your need. Many of our textiles would make for lovely custom cloth napkins!

Hopefully we’ve inspired you to use cloth napkins at all of your meals, even at your most casual suppers. You’ll be doing something good for the environment and your decor. Happy Tablescape Thursday!