What is better to choose a tablecloth or oilcloth for the table?
The table is a place in the house where all family members traditionally gather for a joint meal and conversation. It is very important that the table looks nice and cozy, so that friends and family can enjoy spending time at it. Historically, our country has developed needlework and home comfort is valued, so natural linen and cotton tablecloths have become an important decoration in every home. But in the 20th century, there was such an alternative to tablecloths as oilcloth. It seems that the oilcloth is more convenient to use, because stains do not remain on it and therefore it does not need to be washed. But not everything is so simple. We at the eco-studio “Crafty House”definitely prefer natural cotton and linen tablecloths, and here’s why:
1. Tablecloth – beauty and aesthetics in the home. Tablecloth made of natural fabric looks beautiful and expensive, gives the house a special comfort and sophistication. If you combine a tablecloth with proper serving, then every meal at home can be turned into a small family celebration. The textile tablecloth is pleasant to the touch. But oilcloth is a product made from refined petroleum products, so it looks artificial and inexpensive and feels like rubber to the touch. Of course, touching a linen or cotton tablecloth is many times more pleasant. In general photos from family feasts, the tablecloth always looks more noble and dignified.
2. Tablecloth – an element of cultural values and spiritual heritage. This is a traditional Russian table covering, which has always been present at home feasts and receptions. Tablecloths were sewn by hand and treated with great care. Tablecloths were passed down by inheritance and put in the dowry. If you have a tablecloth in your home that is traditionally used for holidays or passed down from generation to generation, such a tablecloth is no longer just an interior item, but a family heirloom that keeps the warmth of the hands of each family member who touched it.
3. A tablecloth is a sign of good manners. Naturally, in the manuals on etiquette, you will not even find such a thing as an oilcloth. Etiquette experts even advise children to teach them to eat at a table covered with a tablecloth and use textile napkins to teach children to be attentive and neat at the table and increase the level of culture in the house. And of course, in expensive restaurants and social events, you will never find oilcloths. According to etiquette, the table will be decorated with a tablecloth, and for each type of table and celebration there will be a certain type of tablecloth.
4. Tablecloth – caring for the health of your family. The composition of cotton and linen tablecloths without impregnation is eco-friendly. You come into contact with the table covering every day, just like your children, and it is very important to know what microparticles enter your body from contact with oilcloth, what fumes your family inhales, especially if the sun’s rays fall on the table covered with oilcloth. So, oilcloths are mainly made from polyvinyl chloride, silicone and Teflon – these are fully synthetic products of oil refining. For example, when exposed to sunlight, polyvinyl chloride can release phthalates, lead, cadmium, dioxins, and even mercury. The accumulation of such products in the human body is fraught with cancer and genetic disorders. Therefore, in a house where children live, it is highly undesirable to use oilcloths. Also on the oilcloth, as on an artificial material, various microorganisms and mold multiply very well, because you can never wash the oilcloth well, so it is difficult to get rid of harmful microorganisms.
These are the main reasons why we use only natural tablecloths in our homes, and we also advise you to give preference to eco-friendly kitchen textiles, which you will find on the website craftyhouse.ru
