Runny nose, sneezing fits, allergy attacks… In winter as in spring, we often live with a
handkerchief glued by hand. Many think that a
cloth handkerchief would be healthier and more eco-friendly than a disposable tissue. Others swear by single-use paper, considered cleaner. Between comfort, hygiene and impact on the planet, the choice is not trivial.
Several researchers, including Australian scientist Mark Patrick Taylor, have closely compared paper handkerchiefs and cotton handkerchiefs: ability to trap viruses, survival time of germs, allergy risks, environmental cost. Their results challenge a lot of preconceived ideas, and the answer is not the same depending on whether we are talking about health or climate.
Paper or fabric handkerchief: what do studies say about health?
Nasal secretions carry cold, flu or Covid viruses which remain alive for several hours on hands, fabric or paper. When you blow your nose in a
cloth handkerchiefthen put it back in your pocket, you keep this cocktail of microbes with you. Your microbes are preserved in the fabric, which encourages their diffusion with each new use or simple handling.
In the laboratory, viruses survive less long on a
tissue than on cotton. And above all, the reflex is often to throw it away immediately after use. As long as the tissue doesn’t lie on a table and quickly end up in the trash, the risk of transmitting your germs to other people remains lower than if you carry around a square of damp tissue all day.
Allergies, comfort and chemical risks: not-so-neutral tissues
There remains another health aspect: the composition of disposable tissues. Their cellulose pulp is often bleached with chlorine, and perfumes or lotions are added to make them more pleasant. These additives can cause irritation of the skin or nose, or even respiratory allergies, especially when the mucous membranes are already damaged by the cold or pollen.
THE cloth handkerchief keeps some advantages for itself: softness, absence of perfume, long-term economy. For it to remain reliable in terms of health, it must however be treated like potentially contaminated laundry: use for a very limited time, storage in a closed bag, then washing at 60°C minimum, drying completely and, ideally, ironing.
For the planet and your health, which handkerchief should you choose on a daily basis?
On the environmental side, the figures are clear-cut. The American company Ecosystem Analytics compared, via a life cycle analysis, cotton handkerchiefs
reusable tissues to disposable tissues, examining their effect on climate, ecosystem quality, human health and resource consumption. Verdict: on these four criteria, a cotton handkerchief has an impact five to seven times higher than an equivalent paper handkerchief, mainly because of the cultivation and processing of cotton. Organic cotton reduces some damage, but its lower yields require more farmland.