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What Makes a Good Bath Towel?

What makes a good bath towel starts with you. What are you looking for? Something small, or large? Soft, or slightly rough? Something that'll last for a few months or for a few years?

Sure, there's a lot to consider, but Kohl's can make the choice easier for you!

First, let's address size. Hand towels and washcloths are going to be far smaller than a standard bath towel. Bath towels tend to be big enough to dry off and wrap over a portion of the body. However, if you're looking for a full body wrap, consider purchasing a bath sheet They're larger and more absorbent, just make sure you give them enough time to dry!

Assuming you've got size worked out, you also need to decide on the type of cotton. You've got cotton blends, Egyptian cotton, and Turkish cotton. Regular cotton is the base standard for towels. It tends to be soft, but nothing luxurious.

Egyptian cotton is highly absorbent. While soft, it prioritizes excellent absorbency. These towels do remain wet longer, because of their love of moisture. Turkish cotton offers a great middle of the road between comfort and absorbency. They stay soft and don't stay wet too long. As with all towels, it's important to give them time to dry, or else they will wear out quickly. Not only will they wear out, but they may even develop that used towel smell. You know the one.

Which materials are most absorbent?

When it comes to absorbance, it's not just about the cotton being used. It's ultimately about how it's used in the construction of the towel. Sheets have thread count, which determines their thickness and warming abilities. Conversely, towels have a similar system called GMS (grams per square meter). You may not see it listed on all the towels, but every towel has an absorbance factor dictated by this number. Even though you might not be able to find the number, you can tell by the description.

If the towels are thinner and lighter (like a hand or face towel), these are going to be between 300-400 GMS. Most average towels will be somewhere between 400-600 GMS. The luxurious and heavy towels made with special cottons are between 600-900 GMS. However, the weight isn't the only factor here. What's most important for absorbency is the construction of the towel.

Two factors can help decide how well your towel will dry and age. The first was covered above with weight. The second is how the cotton is treated: is it combed cotton or ringspun? Combing cotton removes short strands, meaning that many of the strands spun into the towel are long, ensuring better construction. Also combed cotton tends to pill less frequently, ensuring a more prolonged premium feel. The other is ringspun, with blends short and long strands together. These strands are twisted together forming chords. This gives the towel a smoother feeling when touched. Both of these constructions are reliable and it simply comes down to which sounds better to you.

Keeping Your Towels Fresh

Keeping your towels fresh can be a real chore. But here's the truth: it's easier than it sounds. Using one towel for more than three days? Get a fresh one. Depending on the weight of your towels and the cotton used, they may be absorbing too much water over those days, which can wear out the fibers and make them smelly. Look, there's no shame though. Towels are built to be used.

Not overusing a single towel is part one of three for your best care practices. The second bit you need to remember is to not use fabric softener. Most towels don't play nice with them, believe it or not. The reason for this is that the cotton will absorb some of the fabric softener and will make it hard when the residue is left behind.

The final thing to keep in mind is to not over dry them. Consider letting them dry on low heat, because over drying will stress out the cotton strands. Little by little they'll lose their luxurious softness, and may even unravel. But don't worry, it's all much simpler than it sounds. Just be kind to your towels, and they'll be kind to you!