Towel of Strength: How to ensure your towels always deliver guest comfort.

There is little that can beat the luxury of a fluffy white towel, especially for guests on vacation. But how do you keep your towels white (or vivid, if opting for colour) and how can you retain that soft fluffiness over time? Much of this comes down to the quality of the towel, how it is cared for, how it is used, and the type of fabric used to make it.

Before asking what type of towel you need, consider how it will be used. A robust towel created from a hardy fabric might be just the ticket for gyms or rest homes, which require a high frequency of washes. However, a lush thread count could be expected in a 5-star hotel.

Here’s how to choose from an ever-widening array of fabric options to ensure you get the perfect towel for your needs.

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What standards do commercial towels need to meet?

Towels intended for commercial use are lab tested to meet or exceed NZ/AUS commercial wash care standards.

This standard specifies laundry practice requirements and recommendations for such commercial and industrial uses as accommodations, hospitals and institutes, to ensure an acceptable level of hygiene and service. This means towels such as our Weavers Cardiff or Diamonds Ambassador are designed to withstand frequent, commercial washes.

While your household towel might look similar and be cheaper to purchase, this won’t hold up to the usage requirements of an accommodation provider or workplace.

Egyptian cotton, combed cotton, bamboo… which do I choose?

If your aim is for optimal fluffiness and comfort, 100% cotton is the gold standard. Even better, opt for combed cotton, which has been through the process of having the shorter fibres removed to strengthen the towel and reduce pilling. Here are some of the most common fabric options for towels.

Egyptian cotton tends to be the cotton of choice among luxury brands. With long fibres, it delivers plush softness as well as a high level of absorbency and breathability. If washed with care – take note of loose threads, which should be trimmed before they unravel – Egyptian cotton should also be long lasting.

Turkish cotton is comfortable and durable, with a similar level of luxury and fibre length as Egyptian cotton. Turkish cotton does tend to be slightly less absorbent, with the flipside being that it doesn’t take as long to dry.

Bamboo produces a soft and absorbent towel that is comparable to cotton. As the plant grows quickly and requires very little in the way of pesticides to produce, it is seen as a sustainable alternative that has the added benefit of anti-bacterial properties.

Microcotton has a similar texture to suede leather, with a short fibre. Soft and very absorbent, micro cotton towels are often preferred in high-use commercial operations and institutions.

Microfibre is a manmade fabric with a very short fibre. Towels made from this may be helpful for travellers (as they are absorbent and lightweight), but they tend to have a rough texture and do not provide much in the way of comfort.

Modal towels are made from beech tree cellulose and are more absorbent than cotton, as well as being fade-resistant.

Deciphering towel fine print

Finding yourself frazzled by towel descriptions? Quality, luxury, and absorbency generally come down to two factors: pile and GSM.

Pile is about the loops in the towel’s fibres. These might be single or double looped, with double being more absorbent and lusher, but single being quicker to dry. If the fibres are not looped, your towel may be soft but will likely not be as absorbent.

GSM concerns weight, specifically Grams per Square Metre. This measures the density of a towel, with a higher number making it more luxurious to the touch but slower drying.

Five tips for keeping towels white, soft, and like new…

1. Just like your parents told you, a clear way to ensure colour – or lack of colour – stays put is to wash like with like. Similarly, ensure towels only mix with other towels in the wash cycle. When a long fibred item like an Egyptian cotton towel rubs up against a short fibred item like a bedsheet, this can have an abrasive effect which causes both to wear faster.

2. Before use prewash your towels at a water temperature of 60 degrees to remove any fabric softener that may have been added by the manufacturer. This will also help set the colour. As you continue with further washes, ensure your laundry room isn’t going overboard on the detergent. Towels are obviously absorbent, so they tend to soak up suds, which can cause them to become stiff over time.

3. If possible, ask staff to shake towels out between the wash and dry cycle, as this will make the pile stand to attention, making them fluffier and more absorbent. If there are any loose threads, ask them to snip these before they grow.

4. Dry only on a low heat, as a high heat can shrink the fibres and reduce the towel’s lifespan. Saying that, towels should be entirely dry before being removed from the dry cycle to ensure mildew doesn’t build up.

5. Try to always have a few extra sets of towels so that they can be rotated.

If you need help choosing the right towels for your business, or you want to test drive a couple before ordering in bulk, don’t hesitate to get in touch