Reclaiming Tissue Paper - It Can Be Done

Reclaiming Tissue Paper - It Can Be Done

Sitting at a bridal shower, I observed a young woman sitting cross-legged on the floor painstakingly un-wadding the tissue handed to her.  She was sorting it by color.  The woman next to me noticed my fascination with the process and remarked that the bride ironed her used tissue paper and reused it.

Ironed tissue paper?  Could that possibly work? Would it be as crisp as new?  The young woman who allegedly saved and ironed tissue paper was a highly organized, meticulous individual.  If she feels this is a worth while practice, I should give it a try.  And so I did. 

How to Iron Tissue Paper

for Re-Claiming

Supplies:

Used tissue paper

Iron with steam function

Ironing board

Time: 15 minuets for 5-10 sheets of paper.

Step One:   Smooth the paper out as nicely as possible with your hands over the ironing board.

Step Two: Set the iron to the cotton setting. Tissue paper is a made of natural fibers just as cotton is, so this setting is effective.  Be sure the iron is set to release steam.   Iron the tissue just as if it was fabric. 

Step Two continued: I reset my iron to the linen setting with steam and ironed again.  I was happier with the results however the extreme heat caused the edges to begin to curl.

Step Three: Fold the paper in half, passing the iron over the paper to form a crisp crease.  Continue folding and creasing until the tissue is a small rectangle similar to when it was purchased.

Step Four: Store until needed. 

Bloggers Note:  The tissue paper is not as crisp as when it was new.  Perhaps the next time I attempt this process, I'll try a mist of starch. However, I would not be embarrassed to use this paper tucked in a gift bag.  I wouldn't use it to wrap a present because it has a subtle "reclaimed" look that could be obvious over the flat expanse of a box.

Do you iron tissue paper and reuse it?  If so, does your process differ?  As this was my first attempt, I'd enjoy your experienced imput.