- Table napkins serve a very practical function, and they can be decorative as well. They can be used to wipe food and drink from the mouth and face, or they can be placed in the lap or under the chin to protect clothing while eating. Napkins can also serve as coasters when setting down a drink, or soak up small spills at the table. Napkins can also cover an occasional cough, but etiquette dictates they should not be used for blowing your nose at the table.
- The two major types of table napkins include paper and cloth napkins. Cloth napkins are often referred to as linen napkins, although they may be made from a variety of fabrics, such as cotton, polyester, twill, damask or blends of several materials. Paper napkins are disposable, making them convenient for everyday use and use with small children, while cloth napkins add a more elegant look to the table and may be washed and reused.
- Table napkins come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Although everyday paper napkins are often white, colored and printed napkins are available for holidays or children's birthday parties. Some companies offer personalized printed napkins for special events, such as weddings. Many cloth napkins are made from the same fabric as a matching table cloth and may be folded into elaborate shapes for decoration. Cloth napkins may also be used with decorative napkin rings for an elegant look.
- Most paper luncheon napkins measure about 12 inches square, though they may be slightly longer on one side. Paper dinner napkins are often larger, about 15 inches square. Cocktail napkins, whether paper or cloth, are typically 10 inches square. Cloth napkins are often larger than paper napkins and usually measure 14 to 24 inches square. Some napkins come in a rectangular shape instead of squares. Paper napkins come in a variety of thickness and might use more than one layer. The thickness of cloth napkins depends on the type of fabric they are made from.
- In ancient Rome, dinner guests often received a mappa, or cloth for protecting the couch while eating and reclining, and used these cloths to wipe their mouths and bundle up leftovers. Throughout much of the Middle Ages, people used a piece of bread or their clothing to wipe their hands, but by the mid-1400s, a large cloth was often placed on the table for everyone to use. In noble households, servants carried napkins for dinner guests to wipe their hands on. By the 1500s, napkins were a common part of dining, and came in a variety of sizes for various uses, but were often oversized by today's standards since people ate with their hands before forks became popular.
