Cotton Cloth Napkins

Cotton cloth napkins in 100% cotton flat weave at 180 gsm, 20 × 20 in. dinner square, hemmed with mitered corners — machine washable at 60 °C, tolerates weekly hot washes with the towels for a decade. Our cotton cloth napkins are the everyday set that gets softer every year.

The napkin you reach for without thinking

The napkin you reach for without thinking. Cotton cloth napkins are the ones that live in the drawer nearest the table, come out for a Tuesday bowl of pasta as readily as for a long Sunday lunch, and go straight back in the wash without ceremony.

100% cotton flat weave at 180 gsm

Woven in 100% cotton at 180 gsm in a tight flat weave, with a preshrunk finish. Cotton drinks up a spill instead of pushing it around, takes a hot wash without complaint, and gets softer the longer you own it. A brand-new napkin and a three-year-old one are not the same cloth, and the older one is better.

Keep them plain and unfussy

Keep them plain and unfussy on a bare wood table with mismatched plates. Fold them loose under a fork rather than pressing them into shapes. They sit as comfortably in a small flat’s galley kitchen as they do down a long farmhouse table, which is the whole point of a good everyday napkin — it never announces itself.

Dinner square vs. lunch square

For dinner service, the 20 × 20 in. square gives you enough cloth to drape properly across a lap. For lunch or light plates, an 18 × 18 in. cut is easier to handle. Both listed below.

Cotton cloth napkin specifications

How to care for your cotton cloth napkins

• Machine wash 60 °C weekly with the kitchen towels
• Pre-treat oil and red wine before they set
• Tumble medium; iron warm for a crisp finish
• Skip fabric softener — kills absorbency

Frequently asked questions

What size cotton cloth napkin should I choose?

20 × 20 in. dinner square for full service; 18 × 18 in. lunch square for lighter meals or smaller tables.

Will cotton cloth napkins stain?

Cotton releases most food marks on a normal wash if you rinse promptly. Oil and red wine do better with a pre-treat before they set.

How many cotton cloth napkins should I buy?

One per seat plus two spares — spares cover a mid-meal accident without breaking the set.

Do cotton napkins shrink?

Ours are preshrunk to under 2%. A 20 in. square stays 20 in.

Complete the table linen set

Browse the full cloth napkins range, see the smaller cocktail napkins for drinks and canapes, or pair with a linen table runner.