There was a time when people wouldn’t think of pulling a scrap of fabric out of a pocket or bag, blowing their nose in it, folding it back up and putting it back where they pulled it from. Yeah, I know, it seems pretty gross and during Covid I recall there being some back and forth over whether tissues or cloth hankies were a better choice.
Setting aside mucous-based uses for a moment, there’s plenty of other uses for a scrap of cloth and plenty of good reason to carry one or two, as I discovered during marching band season when watching kids perform somehow always triggers allergies in the form of watering eyes. Cloth is more comfy than tissues, and far, far more durable. Also useful when washing hands in public restrooms which rarely have paper towels any more and instead have air dryers, some of which have a rather geriatric wheeze rather than much of a drying blast. And getting rid of popcorn grease on my hands, and several other uses.
Since my old stash of bandanas had been slowly eroded by my teenage daughter I decided to go buy some more. Only it’s not that easy.
The last time I bought bandanas I learned the hard way that there is a big difference in weight between the cheap ones and the nicer ones. I find the Hav-A-Hank brand from Carolina Manufacturing to be the thickest. But they’re also the hardest to find.
After trying to find them locally (no, Carolina Mfg does not list where they’re sold on their website) I briefly considered buying them online. Considered, but then didn’t because they were absurdly expensive. Perhaps $3-2 in a store, but $7-10 online. Maybe as cheap as $5ea in a 3-pack. Still way too expensive.
So I bought the ones from the Hankie World on Amazon, and they were $1.25 each. 100% cotton, and noticeably thinner than the few Hav-A-Hanks I had left. Time will tell how they shrink, and if they get as soft. They weigh 27g vs. 31g, so about 13% thinner. They do fit a bit better in a pants pocket.
I was still a bit peeved about finding what I really wanted though so I kept searching and ran across them at Sportsman’s Warehouse. $2 each. Free shipping to store. So I ordered some more of those, because my hoarding instincts were triggered by the apparent scarcity.
Anyway, which is the better deal?
The HankieWorld ones are 60% of the cost for 87% of the weight, come in many of the same colors (but not, apparently, navy blue) and couldn’t be easier to get off of Amazon.
The Hav-A-Hank ones are 15% thicker, 60% more expensive, and come in like 30 colors.
I think it depends on what you’re thinking you’ll use it for.
Let’s go back to the mucous based uses. I noticed something else while I was out and I was sick – I ended up with a pocket full of used tissues, and was spending a lot of effort fishing new tissues out of their little plastic pouch, using them, and tucking them in a pocket (being no where near a garbage can). Sure, they’re no doubt filled with germs, but as am I. They’re a risk to anyone fishing around in my pockets. Whether it’s a hanky or a tissue the result is the same.
No doubt if I was near a garbage can the tissues are the preferable option, but along with paper towels in bathrooms garbage cans are harder to find as well.
For this I think the cheaper ones are preferable because I’d carry more than 2 if I was sick.
For wearing around my neck or wiping sweat, etc. I think the thicker ones are better.
So why not just get the regular old white hankies? While I love a white shirt, I doubt a hankie that sees any real use is going to stay white for long. Paisley pattern of a bandana does a better job of hiding the evidence of past use. Brightly colored things make me happy.
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