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DIY: Beginner Sewing Tutorial – Reusable Paper Towel

Are you new to sewing and looking for zero-waste DIY projects to treat yourself while changing your everyday habits?

You’re in the right place! At Papa Pique et Maman Coud, we love to repurpose and give a second life to our fashion accessories and fabric scraps. Today, we’re sharing an easy DIY sewing tutorial to help you create washable, eco-friendly, and super practical reusable paper towels!

How to Sew a Reusable Paper Towel?

The promise? Ditch disposable paper towels to reduce paper waste. Sounds simple, but like any lifestyle change, it may take a little adjustment. With your handmade reusable towels, we’re sure the transition will be smooth. Just follow along!

Why are we so attached to disposable paper towels? Because they’re convenient, space-saving, and can be used for all sorts of everyday tasks: wiping spills, drying hands, absorbing liquids, cleaning veggies, replacing napkins... They’re used all day long! But they also generate a huge amount of waste that could be avoided. With reusable fabric and terry towels, you can enjoy the same comfort and have several on hand — minus the waste!

Let’s talk savings!
Did you know we use an average of 3 rolls of paper towels per week? That’s roughly €152 per person per year. Switching to reusable towels is good for the planet and your wallet.

Supplies Needed to Sew Your Zero-Waste Paper Towel

To make your reusable paper towel sheets, you can choose from several fabric types:

Jersey terry
Waffle weave
Cotton
Terry cotton

Recycling tip: old bath towels make great substitutes for the terry side.

You’ll need:

6 pieces of cotton fabric
6 pieces of terry cotton
1 snap pliers
12 female snap fasteners
12 male snap fasteners
1 sheet of paper
Pins
A ruler
A pencil

Snap placement guide:
This DIY has 7 simple steps — don’t worry, it’s beginner-friendly! Just take extra care when placing the snaps, as that part is a little trickier.

Step-by-step Beginner Sewing Tutorial

Step 1: Cutting

Cut your fabric pieces into 20 x 20 cm squares so all your paper towels are the same size.

Step 2: Assembling

Place your two fabrics (cotton + terry) wrong sides together and pin them.

Step 3: Sewing

Sew all around the edges, 1 cm from the edge. Leave a 4 cm opening so you can turn your fabric inside out.

Step 4: Trimming

Trim any excess fabric and cut the corners diagonally for a neater finish.

Step 5: Turning

Turn your piece inside out and push out the corners using a pencil.

Step 6: Closing

Sew all the way around again, 1 cm from the edge, to close the opening from Step 3.

Step 7: Adding the Snaps

Lay your towel flat with the terry side facing down.

Measure 5 cm vertically from the bottom left corner and mark 1 cm from the left edge. Repeat at the top left corner.
Insert female snaps (the hollow part) on the top, with the cap (pointy part) underneath. Use the snap pliers to press.

Then, do the same for the male snaps:

Measure 5 cm from the bottom right corner and 1 cm from the right edge. Repeat at the top right corner.
Insert male snaps from underneath and press them into place.

And that’s it you’ve just made your own reusable paper towel!

This tutorial made 5 towels, but you can repeat the process for as many as you want.

You can roll them on a paper towel holder or tie them with a string.
Tip: reuse an old paper towel tube or gift wrap roll to store them neatly.

How to Wash Your Homemade Towels?

Here are our care tips for your brand-new reusable towels:

To make them last and stay hygienic, wash them regularly.
If you use them daily, a weekly machine wash is ideal.
For daily spot cleaning, use dish soap or Marseille soap.
Wash at 30–40°C in the washing machine.

If they lose their brightness, add sodium percarbonate to your laundry — it works like magic!

That’s it — beginner sewing tutorial complete!

If you liked this project, leave us a comment and share your creations on Instagram @papapiqueetmamancoud with the hashtag #ppmccouture

Got other zero-waste sewing ideas? Share them with us on Instagram — we’ll prepare more beginner-friendly tutorials just for you.

After all, if top restaurants offer cloth napkins, why not do the same at home? If you often host guests, you can even set aside their own towel to avoid washing after every meal.