Going Zero Waste

The Complete Guide to Reusable Tissues
The Definitive Guide to Switching from Disposable to Reusable Tissues Tissues are one of the last unconsidered disposables in most zero-waste bathrooms. This guide covers everything: what reusable tissues are, how they compare to disposables, the different types available, care instructions, and how to choose the right option for you. What Are Reusable Tissues? Reusable tissues are washable alternatives to single-use facial tissues. Instead of pulling a paper tissue from a box, using it for seconds, and discarding it, you use a small cloth — typically organic cotton or bamboo... Mehr lesen …
8 Everyday Situations Where Reusable Tissues Outperform Disposables
When Reusable Actually Wins on Performance Most reusable alternatives to disposables involve some compromise on convenience. Reusable tissues are one of the exceptions — there are specific situations where cloth outperforms paper, not just environmentally, but in the actual experience of using it. Here are eight of them. 1. The Prolonged Winter Cold Three days into a heavy cold, your nose is raw, chapped, and sensitive. This is exactly when most people reach for Kleenex Balsam with added aloe and wish they could find something gentler. Cotton jersey does not... Mehr lesen …
Why We Created LastTissue
A Box of Kleenex Isn't a Single Piece of Plastic Most people, when they think about plastic-free living, think about bottles, bags, and straws. A box of tissues doesn't obviously register as a problem. It's paper, after all. But a standard tissue box contains a plastic film window, a plastic opening tab, and in most cases the tissues themselves contain polyester fibres. None of it is recyclable once used. When we started mapping the disposable products in the average bathroom, tissues appeared consistently in the top five by volume. And... Mehr lesen …
Are Cloth Handkerchiefs and Reusable Tissues Hygienic?
The "Gross Factor" Argument, Examined The most common objection to reusable tissues is hygiene — specifically, the idea that putting a used cloth back in your pocket is inherently disgusting or dangerous. This argument was deployed effectively by Kleenex's marketing campaigns in the mid-20th century and persists today, despite limited scientific support. Here is what the evidence actually suggests. The Science of Handkerchief Hygiene Academic research on handkerchief hygiene is surprisingly sparse — it is not a topic that attracts significant research funding. The available studies are mixed but broadly... Mehr lesen …
LastTissue vs Kleenex: An Honest Comparison
The World's Most Famous Tissue vs. Its Reusable Alternative Kleenex is so dominant in the tissue category that its name has become generic — in the UK, "Kleenex" is often used to mean any facial tissue, regardless of brand. It is the benchmark against which any alternative is measured. Here is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison. Softness Kleenex: Tissue softness is achieved through a combination of short, fine fibres, embossing, and in premium lines (Ultra Soft, Balsam), added lotion or aloe vera. Kleenex Balsam in particular is designed for raw, irritated... Mehr lesen …
Tissue Statistics: The Real Cost of Disposable Tissues
The Numbers Behind Your Tissue Habit Tissues feel trivial — each one is used for seconds and costs a fraction of a penny. But the aggregate numbers tell a different story. Here is a data-driven look at tissue consumption, its cost, and the impact of switching to reusables. Individual Consumption 7–10 boxes per household per year in the UK (Mintel household tissue data) 560–1,000 individual tissues per household per year Cold season spike: tissue use roughly doubles during winter months — a single cold episode can use 50–100 tissues in... Mehr lesen …
Reusable Tissues: How LastTissue Is Made
Designing a Better Tissue The design challenge for LastTissue was not primarily the cloth — soft, washable cotton has been used as handkerchief material for centuries. The challenge was the system: how do you carry reusable tissues in daily life without the clean ones becoming contaminated by the used ones? The Two-Chamber Case The silicone case is LastTissue's core innovation. It has two distinct chambers: Clean side: Where fresh, washed tissues are stored, accessible from one opening. Used side: Where used tissues go after use, sealed from the clean side.... Mehr lesen …
The History of the Handkerchief and How Tissues Took Over
Before the Tissue Box For most of recorded history, the cloth handkerchief served every function that disposable tissues serve today. Blowing the nose, wiping tears, dabbing away perspiration, removing cosmetics — all were the province of a small square of woven fabric, carried in a pocket or sleeve, washed, and used again. The Handkerchief as Cultural Object The handkerchief's history stretches back at least to ancient Greece and Rome, where fine linen squares were carried by the wealthy as symbols of refinement. By the European Renaissance, embroidered handkerchiefs had become... Mehr lesen …
The Environmental Cost of Disposable Tissues
The Paper Product Nobody Questions Tissues are one of the most universally used disposable products in the world — and one of the least examined. We reach for them automatically: a runny nose, a smudged mascara, a spilled drop of coffee. Each tissue is used for seconds, often less, and discarded. At the individual level, the waste feels trivial. Scaled across billions of people, it is substantial. How Many Tissues Are Used Each Year? Global tissue paper production exceeds 40 million tonnes annually — a figure that has grown consistently... Mehr lesen …