Man, I wish I had a calculator for that. It will depend on what you’re using them for, how frequently you wash your laundry, and how much you go through. 

Assuming a once to twice a week wash, this is what I suggest:

If you use them infrequently, I’d suggest starting with a set of 10. 

If you go through about a roll a week, I’d suggest getting a set of 20 to start, and determine if you need more from there. 

If you’re going through more than a roll a week, I’d suggest starting with a set of 30 and determine if you need more from there.

The more towels (or tissues or wraps or whatever) that you have, the longer they’re going to last because you won’t have to wash them as frequently, thus reducing the wear they’re going through. 

Remember, though, that the goal is to reduce your waste, not consume and consume sustainable products.

The towels are 12” x 8”. They come in multiples of 10.

Each paperless towel (12” x 8”) is as absorbent as an 11” x 11” brand name paper towel. They actually will get more absorbent with washing, so long as you don’t use fabric softeners or dryer sheets.

Your towels and tissues will last for years. I am continuing to use ones that I made at the beginning of my journey in 2016, and they’re still going strong. Please note: the more towels/tissues you have, the longer they’re going to last because you won’t have to wash them as frequently, thus reducing the wear they’re going through. 

• Towels: Cotton flannel and cotton thread
• Tissues: Cotton flannel and cotton thread
• Beeswax wraps: Cotton, beeswax, jojoba oil, and pine resin
• Coffee Filters: Unbleached cotton flannel, cotton thread

As you wash your towels, your fabric is going to end up pilling. This is a completely normal thing and doesn’t affect their quality. Don’t take those pills off, though! These little balls will actually help your towels hold together more easily and increase absorbency (more little balls = more surface area for the water to absorb into). 

They are made by the same process. The only difference is that tissues are 7.5” x 7.5”, and the towels are 12” x 8”.

Wash and dry them as you would your regular towels.

Two cautions:

Don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets with them. Those products will coat the fibers, decreasing absorbency.

Don’t use chlorine bleach with them. You CAN use oxygen bleach without worrying about discoloring the patterns. 

• Clean using cool water and soap. Air dry. 
• Do not use on highly acidic food, as it will eat away at the coating. 
• Do not use on raw meat. 
• Do not use with hot food/drink. Store in a cool spot away from direct sunlight. 

• Boil for 5 min before you use the first time. Let it air dry. 
• Use like a paper filter. 
• Once done with brewing coffee, empty grounds out into compost or trash.
• Rinse out and let air dry.
• Boil filters every two weeks or so. This will release oils and help them last longer.

They can stain. There are a few things people choose to deal with that.

In terms of choosing, buying white for bleaching; buying dark colors to avoid seeing the stains; buying tie dye so stains blend in with the pattern more.

When you do have something that you think will stain, there’s a few things you can do to mitigate the stain.

Soak it in cold water. The cold is important because warm water will set a stain.

Use a 1:2 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then rinse it off and launder as usual.

Short answer: possibly. 

Long answer: All fabric is pre-washed, dried, and ironed before it’s cut; I aim to minimize any shrinkage and distortion before it reaches you. However, washing in hot water and drying on a high setting may shrink them over time, especially since each washer and dryer is different. For best results, follow care instructions below. 

I ship out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. When you make your order, I will have it shipped out in 3-5 business days.

Generally, yes. The only time that I will include plastic in an order is when I am reusing a box I have not yet flattened down. Otherwise, I reuse boxes that have been sent to me, post-consumer recycled boxes, paper tape and reused paper padding.

We stand behind our products, so if you don't love them, returns are free (in the US) for 30 days from receiving the product. It should be in original packaging upon return.

To complete your return, we require a receipt or proof of purchase. For the full return policy, see here.

Yes! If you’re interested in checking out Stella & Sol products in stores, hop over to our stockist map to find the one closest to you.

If there isn’t a stockist near you, but there’s a shop you’d like to see us in, let them know about us! 

Yes, we do! You can apply to be a stockist here.

I save all of my offcuts from making products and I use those to make smaller products. By doing this, I reduce the amount of fabric waste I create.

I buy in bulk to minimize the amount of packaging I receive, and I either recycle or eco-brick the plastic that does end up coming to me. 

I've always been inspired by space, the moon, and everything beyond the atmosphere, so I knew I wanted to incorporate that into my name. I also knew I wanted alliteration (because #englishnerd), so Stella & Sol seemed to be the one that felt right.

The logo draws from a few things. One, the cyclical and closed loop system of the hourglass is much like Earth. Two, the reusability of it. Three, my spouse and I did a unity sand ceremony instead of a candle at our wedding, so it remains special to me.

I've alway enjoyed being creative. When I started switching over to reusables to reduce waste in 2016, I didn't see anything in the local market, so I made my own. When both my spouse and I lost our jobs in following years, I knew I had to take this nugget of an idea and make it into a business. I launched in 2019, and I've been helping make the world a greener place one towel at a time.

I am part of 1% for the Planet. That means I commit to donating a minimum of 1% of my yearly revenue to ecologically minded organizations.

All of our products are proudly handcrafted in Claremont, NH.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a magic wand to make this disconnect go away. One way you can approach it is to try a trial period of something, especially if it’s something that is a consumable (like sponges). Replace it with something that is a very, very close replacement, but is more eco friendly (washable paper towels for paper towels, compostable sponges for plastic, etc). 

Another is to have a conversation about what it is that they’re less than thrilled about. Sometimes it’s just new and they’re nervous to change because it’s uncertain. 

Sometimes, our loved ones simply just won’t budge. That’s okay! We chose this life, and while I certainly would love everyone becoming more eco friendly, we can’t force someone to do something they’re not willing to do. But keep switching out things that you have control over. The more they’re around it, the more willing they tend to become. 

Check out my step-by-step posts on how to do the paperless towels and tissues.