Vintage Earth-Friendly: A Kinder Alternative to Plastic
Creative ways to use old fashioned wood clothespins
By Patty Kelly
5/20/20252 min read
The simplest things like a little wooden clothespin can add unexpected joy to our day.
A Nostalgic Discovery
I went shopping the other day and came across a package of wooden clothespins. The moment I saw them I was transported back to childhood. I pictured my mother hanging laundry on the clothesline off the deck in the backyard of the house where I grew up in our suburban Montreal neighborhood. Nearly everyone had a clothesline in their backyard. It was just a part of everyday life.
In Japan, many people believe that sun-drying clothes naturally sanitizes and freshens them. The soft breeze adds a gentle, pleasant scent. My mother wholeheartedly believed in this. Even in the depths of a Canadian winter, she would hang clothes outside, and bring in stiff, frozen jeans from the icy cold air say, "They are almost dry!"
A Simple Item, Many Uses
Though I don’t have a clothesline now because I live in a small condo rental where drying clothes in public isn’t allowed because many Homeowner's Associations are more concerned with aesthetic and appearance than the environment. I still bought that little pack of clothespins out of pure nostalgia.
At first, I used them to clip shut an open chip bag. Then I started discovering more uses:
I labeled my potted plants with them by writing on the wood with a Sharpie.
I clipped frozen veggie bags closed in the freezer.
I even used them to organize notes and bills on my desk.
Their simplicity made them incredibly useful and oddly comforting. They have a charm that modern plastic just can’t replace.
Cute and Creative Clothespins
My curiosity piqued, I went online to explore more unique, earth-friendly versions of these humble clips and found a few that truly made me smile. My top favorite was:
Super cute Japanese doll clothespins
(Available on Amazon)
Each one painted to look like a tiny traditional figure. Delightful and functional!
A Gentle Reminder
For under $2.00, you can buy a pack of 50 wooden clothespins. You can decorate them, paint them, label them or just use them as they are. They’re practical, affordable, and biodegradable.
Whether you use them to hang laundry like they did in the 19th century, organize your space, or bring a little handmade joy to your everyday tasks, wooden clothespins are a sweet, earth-friendly alternative to plastic.
You don’t have to do something big to bring a little cozy-joy to your day or to someone else’s. Sometimes a small thing can brighten a space or even a mood! Simple things can bring simple pleasure.
Do you use wooden clothespins in creative ways? Share your ideas in the comments, I’d love to hear them!
