Growing up, a nicely folded-ironed handkerchief was one of the things I carried to school daily. I always saw my mother carry one in her purse, too. Those were the days when we lived simple lives. Our lives might have been simple, but it was because of the simple ways of living that we used to leave fewer carbon footprints in the environment.
Then times changed, I grew up, and hankies were replaced by disposable tissues. However, I have recently picked up handkerchief for use again. I knew I had one from my wedding day; it was bought because my mother wanted me to carry an embroidered hankie in my wedding purse. I rummaged around old things one Friday morning, and voila! it was there.
Hankies are things from yesteryears. As a result, you do not find them at stores any more. I looked up online and found some vintage hankies whose prices were as high as $20 a piece. Then I came across an American fashion label for women that was selling a set of four handkerchiefs for a whooping $98.
A few more searches took me to some blogs where I found that there are still people out there who choose or are choosing hankies over Kleenex (America calls facial tissue by the company which first popularised it). I was glad because I was not going to be the only “old-fashioned” person, but is it really an old-fashioned idea to use a hankie?
Hygiene
The first facial tissue, which was introduced in 1924 by the American company Kimberly-Clark Corporation as Kleenex, was advertised as a cold cream remover! Gradually, it gained popularity as a disposable handkerchief. Hygiene has always been cited as the number one reason. But how hygienic facial tissues really are? How many of us properly dispose of a tissue after blowing nose, sneezing or coughing? A dustbin is not always around. In such a situation, you put the tissue back in your pocket or purse.
It is normal for tissues to end up in drawers, on desks, even on the floor, and in the streets, which means that germs are easily spreading. At the bottom of a woman’s handbag or a man’s pants pocket, one will also find old and used tissues!
When it comes to hankies, after each use, you can refold it to keep the dirty side inside, and place it in your purse or pocket.
Hankies are pretty things and they are way more expensive than a box of tissues, because they are generally made from high quality cotton fabric. A hankie, especially a woman’s hankie, is often embroidered with flowers or the first letter of her name, meaning that you do not treat it like a flimsy piece of paper like you treat a tissue. I remember that after each use, I always put the hankie back in my school bag or my school uniform pocket, because it was a pretty little thing that I knew I would wash and use the next day.
However, both tissue and hankie can be unhygienic, it all depends upon whether you use them correctly and whether you wash hands after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose into a hankie or a tissue.
Impact on the environment
This is what got me back into the habit of using a hankie. A handkerchief can be used over and over. At the end of the day, wash it with soap or detergent, lay it flat, or simply line dry.
On the other hand, facial tissues are made from wood pulp. How many trees must be cut down every day for something that we often use only for a few seconds! It takes years for a tree to grow. Also, the process of making any kind of paper is harsh on the environment, results in water and air pollution, and uses up a lot of energy. Facial tissue is no different.
We cannot abandon paper and paper products completely, but we can minimise the use of paper and replace it with long-lasting or less eco-unfriendly alternatives whenever there is a chance. This will help reduce waste problem as well, because whatever you throw away end up somewhere - - things don’t just disappear. Used facial tissues cannot be recycled as they are considered contaminated, so they end up in landfills.
It will take some getting used to handkerchiefs, because I have been using facial tissues for such a long time. Although a good cotton hankie feels so much better than a facial tissue on my hands and face and leaves no white residue, I will perhaps still carry a pack of pocket tissues for other emergencies. Using handkerchief instead of facial tissue is just one tiny step I have taken toward helping my immediate environment.
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