One of the latest “green” solutions to hit the market comes from Pacific Dry Goods. They have introduced what they call a breakthrough alternative to expensive, disposable wipes and paper towels, called EcoTowl, EcoSponge and the very latest, EcoTowl Bamboo.

The company itself has impressive environmental credentials. Produced by the Lenzing Group in Austria, the 70-year-old company’s ecologically sensitive production process and energy production haves been recognized with the World Wildlife Federation’s Panda Award and the European Eco-Label, as well as the “Confidence in Textiles” certification. They also donate five percent of all sales to support environmental research through the non-profit Save the Earth Foundation.

The products have a very unique texture to them, something like felt that works like a chamois cloth. It’s because the EcoTowl and EcoSponge are made from 100 percent viscose, a natural fabric sourced from fibers harvested from trees grown in sustainable forests. The new EcoTowl Bamboo is a natural fabric made from 82 percent bamboo fiber and 18 percent corn, both fast-growing and renewable resources.

Of course, it’s great to save the environment, but the bottom line is how does the product perform?

To steal a phrase from Bounty, these are truly a quicker picker upper. The claim that they can absorb more than 10 times their weight in liquid is absolutely true. Granted, you can’t toss them in the trash like paper towels, but you’ll only need one to get the job done. Just wash by hand or machine, then air dry or tumble dry with no heat, or sanitize in a dishwasher or microwave.

I even threw mine in the dryer (even though you aren’t supposed to) and they came out just fine. They are sold in 7,500 stores nationwide, including Hy-Vee and Price Chopper, retailing for $3.99 to $5.99 per two-pack.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com