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The 11 Best Cloth Napkins
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Cloth napkins elevate your home dining experience from pure convenience to full, in-it-to-win-it adult status. Whether you opt for linen, polyester, or everyday cotton, the best cloth napkins are easy to clean and made from a material that suits your budget, the occasion, and your dining aesthetic. Keep these points in mind while shopping.
In terms of material, napkins made from linen are seen as the most luxe, cotton as a great everyday pick, and polyester as a very practical option. Linen has a sturdier, larger weave, is absorbent, and can give you two looks for your dinner table: one that is a little rumpled and dressed down or one that is pressed and dressed up. Linen softens with repeated washing and is a long-lasting material. Cotton is a good choice for everyday use as it is soft and absorbent from the get go, though it doesn’t have the durability of linen. Cotton also will wrinkle unless you iron it, but choosing a napkin that’s a cotton blend helps to cut that down. Polyester or polyester blends are the most practical of all the options and are frequently used for large parties. Though not as soft or absorbent, polyester is virtually wrinkle-free and particularly stain-resistant.
Cloth napkins typically cost anywhere from around 60 cents to eight or nine dollars per napkin. Depending on your aesthetic and choice of material, you’ll pay more for natural fiber cloth as well as design craftsmanship. If the priority is quantity, there are plenty of affordable options, especially those that come in polyester.
All of the picks below are conveniently machine washable and, in some cases, backed by thousands of reviews on Amazon.
1. An Affordable Napkin That Comes In Bulk
If you’re looking to throw a party for a group larger than two, these 100% polyester napkins are a perfect choice and come at a budget-friendly price. Each set includes 24 napkins, which is two to three times more per pack than most others. The polyester material makes these resistant to stains and wrinkles for maximum festivity-minded convenience. Depending on your party palette, you can choose between classic white and seven other solid color options, such as red, pink, and blue. And if you need even more napkins, you can snag a pack of 288 napkins for a relatively affordable price.
Helpful Review: “Loved these. I have ordered multiple colors in fact. For the price and quantity, this is the best value. Would recommend to get these for your gatherings.”
- Available Colors: 9
2. A Wildly Popular Cotton Blend Napkin for Everyday Use
With over 7,000 reviews on Amazon, these cloth napkins prove to be especially durable for everyday use. Made from a blend of 60% cotton and 40% polyester, they reap the benefits of both of these materials. The polyester provides stain and some wrinkle resistance, while the cotton gives you softness and absorption. These napkins come in a set of 12, a nice size to hold you between washings, as well as offering you 11 different solid colors from which to choose.
Helpful Review: “These are super easy to launder. No need to iron, just flatten out with your hand & fold once out of dryer. Soft and perfect size, too. I love them!”
- Available Colors: 11
3. An Elegant Cloth Napkin For Formal Events
This beautifully refined yet minimal jacquard cloth napkin effortlessly elevates your dinner table, perfect for that holiday or festive event. These napkins are made of 100% polyester, making them especially stain and wrinkle resistant. Coming in a set of four, there are 15 gorgeous colors to choose from to help you create that flawless table setting. It’s also noteworthy that these textured napkins comes with matching tablecloths in square, rectangle, and round sizes.
Helpful Review: “These cloth napkins are just as described. The swirl pattern has a slight sheen and they are a heavy weight as compared to my other cloth napkins [...] They look amazing and I would definitely purchase them again. Highly recommended.”
- Available Colors: 15
4. A Rustic Napkin In 100% Cotton
These 100% cotton napkins are extremely soft and absorbent and come in a delightful denim finish. They come in a set of 12, on top of offering 17 solid color options like bright red and green or neutral black or white. Keep in mind: these are only moderately stain resistant and you’ll have to get out the iron for that wrinkle-free look. However, if texture is a deal breaker, the softness of this material knows no match and the relaxed look of these lends a nice farmhouse vibe to your table.
Helpful Review: “These are great napkins. I rarely used cloth napkins in the past because they weren’t soft. These are soft and work well [...] They are slightly wrinkled when I take them out of the dryer, but that doesn’t bother me at all, as they are used for our daily family dinner. I highly recommend these napkins!!”
- Available Colors: 12
5. This Luxe Stonewashed Linen Napkin That Will Last You Forever
These durable and high quality linen napkins will be used on your dinner tables for years to come. Made from 100% French flax, these are relatively stain-resistant, especially with a slight pre-wash treatment. The stonewashed process gives these napkins a slightly worn-in look and a softer texture. They emerge from the wash in a charmingly rumpled fashion, but can be ironed for a sharper aesthetic. Although they are priced at a much higher price point for a set of four, these napkins will continue to soften and outlast many of its rivals. The come in 13 solid colors like taupe, purple, and mulberry.
Helpful Review: “I don't usually write reviews but I've been on the hunt for the perfect linen napkin in weight, size, and quality and this is it. I highly recommend these! They wash well and come out of the dryer ready to fold and use. I didn't even need to iron them to make them look great.”
- Available Colors: 13
6. The Bistro Napkin For A Classic French Touch
If you’re longing for that je ne sais quoi French feel, even if it’s just via the dinner table, these French stripe napkins transport you immediately to continental Europe. Made of 100% cotton and coming in a pack of six, these have a charming French stripe design on a textured off-white background (and come in 11 different colors as well). These are somewhat stain resistant and require ironing for the wrinkle-free look, but will always capture that refined yet relaxed bistro vibe. And the cherry on top: they come with a variety of matching tablecloths, as well as placemats.
Helpful Review: “It looks and feels authentic, like I am in France...what more could I ask for?”
- Available Colors: 11
7. A Patterned Napkin For The Design Obsessed
Those who appreciate pattern matching will love the fact that this set of 24 cloth napkins includes four unique prints (six napkins of each design), allowing you to mix and match to your heart’s content. Even if you decide to use only one of the patterns for your table setting, each of the prints are visually charming and create nice depth of texture. These napkins are made of 100% cotton and are soft, but prone to wrinkling after washing. Choose between four different colors (one color per set), and keep in mind that these delightful patterns do a great job of obscuring any festivity-induced stains.
Helpful Review: “I LOVE these! They machine wash and dry and iron well. Perfect to fold & put into napkin rings. I love that the patterns are different but colors are the same so I can mismatch the patterns adding visual interest at dinner parties. What a fabulous deal these are!”
- Available Colors: 4
8. The Perfect Picnic-Slash-Italian-Restaurant Checkered Napkin
One of the most classic cloth napkin looks is that of gingham or buffalo plaid, a checkered design that acts as protective wear from barbecue picnics to spaghetti and meatball nights. This pattern does a great job of hiding stains while giving you that easy-breezy summer’s day or casual Sunday night vibe. These napkins come in a generous set of 12 and are made from 100% cotton, making them particularly absorbent. There are 20 different colors to choose from, suiting any mood or table setting. Though they’re not wrinkle-resistant, but that simply adds to their laid-back charm.
Helpful Review: “I’ve been using cloth napkins for over 35 years these are some of the best I’ve bought. They keep their shape after washing, color is vibrant and they are 100% cotton so they absorb very well. So along with looking great on the table the functionality is the best part of these napkins.”
- Available Colors: 20
9. A Satin Napkin For Maximum Glitz & Glamour
Another great choice for larger events such as an elegant banquet is a satin woven napkin with that characteristic glossy sheen that spells luxury. These napkins come in a set of 10 with a choice between 27 different colors and patterns (including polka dots and stripes), guaranteed to fit any occasion’s table design. Employing that satin weave but made of 100% polyester, these are resistant to stains and wrinkles and wash up easily to be reused for the next big event.
Helpful Review: “The color is beautiful!! They add some glitz to your table. Nicely made napkin!”
- Available Colors: 27
10. An Eco-Friendly Napkin Made From Upcycled Denim
Sustainability is often a factor when investing in cloth napkins, but there’s a way to take it even further. Salvaged scraps of upcycled denim and cotton are given a second life in these warmly textured table napkins. Four napkins are included in every set and you can choose between two versions of the striped farmhouse chic design. These are reasonably stain resistant but, being 100% cotton, will wrinkle after washing. You can style these more formally or casually, all the while knowing you’re doing the environment some good.
Helpful Review: “These are amazing! Great quality and I particularly love the low maintenance since they pull off a great rustic look when they're wrinkled. You can dress them up by ironing them too. I also love the fact that every time I use them I feel good about where they came from - sustainability!”
- Available Colors: 2
11. A Fanciful Napkin To Add Some Whimsy To Your Table
This delightful pattern entitled “Birdies On Wire” is just one of many charming designs offered by this popular cloth napkin brand, which features all manner of flora and fauna. Coming in a set of four and made of 100% cotton, these are characteristically soft and can be used for all types of events, as well as serving many other uses in the kitchen or dining room. These won’t resist stains and will wrinkle after washing, so be aware you’ll have to iron based on your aesthetic preference — however, depending on the design, you may be happy with that more relaxed cottage-core look. They come in 33 beautiful prints and some can be matched with complementary placemats and dish towels, as well.
Helpful Review: “These cloth napkins are absolutely gorgeous! They look like paintings on canvas and are beautifully constructed. The quality is very high and I love them! I highly endorse them.”
- Available Colors: 33
