Wherein Gary and Elaine go green.

“Elaine was proud of making the switch to cloth towels, and to further prove her distaste for wasteful paper she drove to the store, bought some, and crumpled it up triumphantly.”

Source: West Elm

Also check out: Catalogue Living: The World of the People Living In Your Catalogues

Writer Molly Erdman is the creator of Catalog Living, a witty foray to the world of shelter catalogs as told through the fictional lives of characters Gary and Elaine. Each month, Erdman shares with us Gary and Elaine’s take on their sustainable lifestyles. Be sure to check out Catalog Living and Erdman’s book, Decorating Takes (Wicker) Balls.

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The White Circle Tea Towel from Pawling is made from 100% linen.

Pawling Print Studio is run out of DC and New York by sisters Trisha and Janet Snyder. The two have a thing for environmentally responsible production, clean design, and…well, cleaning in general.

After spotting the White Circles tea towel from Pawling, one has to wonder why 90 percent of American households use paper towels as opposed to investing in reusable, high-end and eco-friendly tea towels instead. Considering the long-term cost ($13.99 for a six-pack of throwaway Brawny vs. $24 for a reusable Pawling tea towel), our continued paper towel use just doesn’t add up.

All of the tea towels from Pawling are made from 100% linen, which softens and becomes more absorbent with use. They are also machine washable, hand sewn and screen-printed in studio. And they’re very, very pretty.

Look for Lustables daily at EcoSalon. 100% gorgeous green finds, and never sponsored. Submit your favorite to tips@ecosalon.com

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To Dry For is to die for. An entire website of graphically intoxicating tea towels is seriously alluring, especially since the season of entertaining is nearly here. Why not add a little charm to the least glamorous facet of entertaining, the heaps of dishes left behind by mounds of visitors. The collection of tea towels at To Dry For has given me the perfect excuse to escape the dish soap and suds for the appeal of an unexpected pop of glamor. You wash, I’ll dry.

This is the perfect time of year to fall in love with tea towels. Not only will they gently wick the water off your favorite dishware set, but they also provide a subtle conversation topic for the dreaded after dinner lull (although it’s generally a bad sign if your kitchen linens have more personality than your guests). For a vivid touch of charisma, just dangle one in your kitchen. Or, assuming you want to make your host/hostess swoon, tea towels are a beautiful hostess gift.

If confections of linen and cotton aren’t enough to entice your visit to To Dry For, maybe the little known facts and clever anecdotes will lure you into reading every single product description for a dose of subliminal education while you peruse. Did you know lobsters have blue blood? Did you know the Albert Bridge is the only bridge in London that has never been rebuilt?

I couldn’t resist sharing a handful of my beloved tea towels. Above, from left to right: Irons, You Wash, I’ll Dry, and Sardines. Below, from left to right: Mid Century Chairs, A Meal Without Wine, and Dirty.

I may not be able to sleep tonight if I don’t point you toward this mustard yellow Tea Rex towel and this “˜t’ towel (I know, the wit is almost unbearable). Enjoy!

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Can a towel make kitchen decor pop or delight at high tea? Yes, if that linen was spun from Hammocks & High Tea – an ecologically sound company rooted in the sensibilities of owner, Karen Young, who says she was inspired by her grandmother (below) and her fusion of Scottish-Portuguese heritage.

“I spent my childhood in South America, surrounded by an incredible combination of British architecture, history and Caribbean influences – hand carved wood statues, ornate architecture, cobblestone streets and exotic flora and animals were a daily part of life in the tropics,” she says.

Her home collection is made by hand with organic fabrics (hemp, soy and organic cotton) and printed using water based, solvent free inks. The linens (including napkins and place mats) are stamped with modern, upbeat patterns in tropical shades, conjuring open air markets and breezy travel days by the sea. The packaging is also responsible, using recycled or recyclable material. Priced between $20-$96.

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Sour on your space? Squeeze in some lemon and watch what happens. Next to coral, lemon is the flavor of the month, and if you think this tart infusion aids depression, you are bright! I followed the yellow brick road to what’s hot for summer and spring. Here are some juicy accents I landed on that will let all of us lighten up a bit for the season.

The ultimate hot seat: Cain Bench (above) from Branch Home, $130.

Waste not with this fruity Meyer Lemon reusable sandwich bag, $7.50 at Etsy

Fern Living Tea Towel from Lekker, $19, is spun of organic cotton and sweetened with a yellow punch.

I’m just wild about saffron and this organic Tonal Stripe Pottery Barn duvet and sham, $29-$169.

Mellow yellow pillow talk, $116 from Evo. And brighter pastures with the Vaca Pillow, $95, from Viva Terra.

Cut the mustard with vintage recycled cotton coasters, $14 each, Etsy.

Happy little bluebirds get a burst of joy with a painted bird house, $65, Viva Terra.

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