Choosing the Quality Bath Towels - The science behind
"These days there are various brands of bath towels available in the market, which makes it hard to choose "Which bath towel is right for me?". On top of it crazy prices like for a "Bath Towel" is available in the range of prices starting from $10 to $40, which makes it even harder to understand that what makes these towels different."
High quality towels are usually made out of fine, long cotton fiber. Some of the more expensive towels are made from Egyptian or Brazilian or Supima cotton. The cotton type is not the only parameter used to measure the quality of the Towel.
When choosing a towel, there are 5 parameters which needs to be considered including material, weight, construction, size and designs.
1. Type of Cotton Material: All Cottons are Grown and manufactured in the same way as other Cotton. They gets speciality from their regions where they were grown and how long are their fibers.
- Long Staples Cotton - All long staples cotton grown and manufactured in the same way as other cotton. Some regions produces extra long staples naturally which makes the cotton premium. Extra long fibers results in fewer joins which turns out in stronger and smoother cotton threads. Various regions that produce extra large cotton staples are Turkey (Turkish Cotton), Egypt (Egyptian Cotton), USA(Pima/ Supima Cotton) and Pakistan.
- Organic Cotton - Organic cotton is grown without the use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers, but has the similar qualities as non-organic cotton. By selecting to buy organic cotton towels, you and your family can enjoy the softness and absorbency of cotton while feeling good about doing your part for the environment.
- Bamboo Cotton - Not only are bamboo towels extremely soft, they’re easy on the environment because bamboo cultivates well without the use of fertilizers or pesticides. The absence of these harsh chemicals results in a hypoallergenic fabric that’s a great choice for kids, babies and those with allergies or sensitive skin.
- Micro Fibre - Manufactured from blended manmade fibres that are split at the ends during processing to make them extremely absorbent. Microfibre towels are also durable and soft. The softness results from the thinness of the fibres combined with their unusually smooth texture, while the microfibre material is very strong and long lasting compared to natural fibres such as cotton. Microfibre towels are good for absorbing dirt, grime and makeup from your skin, and for wringing out long, wet hair. They also fold compactly for easy storage in gym bags or luggage.
- Terry Cloth - Terry cloth is an extra soft and absorbent fabric characterized by thick, uncut loops of material. The loops increase the amount of surface area available, and the more surface area, the greater the potential for absorbing moisture. Since cotton itself is naturally absorbent, terry cloth towels made from cotton are an ideal choice for everything from face cloths to beach towels.
2. Weight:
Fabric weight is measured in gsm, or grams per square meter. This number refers to the density of the towel. GSM varies between 300 to 900 for bath towels.
- 300 - 400 gsm - These towels are light weight, allowing quicker dry-time. Suitable for carrying to the Beach.
- 400 - 600 gsm - Perfect for bath towels and guest towels, this is the ideal medium weight. Each consecutive weight—400, 500, and 600—gets thicker and more absorbent.
- 600 - 900 gsm - Considered the premium luxury weight, these towels will be denser, thicker, and more absorbent. 900 gsm towels are usually manuafactured using double ply construction making them thicker, heavier, and more absorbent than most.
Towels are manufactured using various spun techniques.
- Long Staple Combed cotton. Long-Staple cotton is specially combed to remove all debris and short threads but the finest and longest fibers, making these towels the ultimate in luxury. Thirstier than Turkish cotton and softer and more durable than standard cotton. These longer fibers can be spun thinner, which increases the comfort and absorbency of these towels.
- Zero Twist. The terms zero-twist or low-twist are often used to describe towels. While manufacturing, cotton fibers are spun (twisted) into yarn. Typically, yarns are made from short (inferior) fibers that have to be twisted in order to make the yarn. Yarn made from fibers that are twisted gets a lot get harder and less absorbent as a result. Zero Twist has zero twists of yarn per square inch, making the fabric more plush.
- Ring Spun cotton In this style of manufacturing the short and long fibers are spun together, making a stronger yet finer yarn for better feel and durability. This method produces a more refined feel than that of a basic combed cotton yarn.
- Low-twist Like zero-twist, this de-twisting action creates more air and space between fibers, which yields a terrycloth fabric that is especially soft and absorbent. Plus, the space between the fibers leads to less drying time after use or washing. Less soft compared to Zero Twist.
- Two Ply cotton doubles the amount of yarn used to make a very durable, absorbent, dense and substantial feeling towel. These features comes with its own cost of heavier product.
| Towel Type | Australian Sizes | |
|---|---|---|
| * | Bath Sheet | 80-100 X 150-170cm |
| * | Bath Towel | 68-70 x 132-140 cm |
| * | Hand Towel | 40-50 x 60-70 cm |
| * | Face Washer | 30-34 x 30-34 cm |
| * | Towelling Bath Mat | 50-60 x 80-85 cm |
5. Designs: Some brands of designer towels have unique designs and stitching techniques that make their products stands out. These designs gives contemporary look to your towel collection and adds a characters to your bathroom's ambience.
I hope these details have given you enough details, so that you can choose the best towel as per your needs.