Bath Towel Materials

Bath towels are made of woven pieces of fabric. This is usually a cotton or cotton blend, but there are also other materials of which bath towels may be made.

Towels have a fabric weight which is measured in grams per square meter (GMS), which refers to the density of the fabric. The lower the GSM, the lighter and thinner the bath towel. A bath towel with less than 400 GSM is very thin and may be used in situations where a thinner towel is more desirable. The bath towels with higher GMS are usually reserved for use in either the master or guest bathroom because they are heavier and thicker and therefore more absorbent.

Cotton

Until the 19th century, bath towels in Europe were made of linen. Many manufacturers switched to using cotton for bath towels when it was discovered that it was less expensive but very strong. The majority of bath towels made today are made of 100 percent cotton or a cotton blend because cotton can easily absorb water.

Egyptian cotton is often used in making bath towels because of its long staple. The longer the staple, the more absorbent and longer lasting the towels will be. Plus, bath towels made of 100 percent Egyptian cotton are very soft and considered among the most luxurious towels available.

Some towels are made of 50 percent Egyptian cotton and 50 percent of another material, such as modal. Modal is a bio-base textile that feels a bit like rayon, won’t fade or shrink, and said to be 50 percent more absorbent than cotton.

Supima, short for superior Pima, is a material made of 100 percent cotton. It does have extra-long staple fibers that make it soft yet sturdy. Supima are comparable in quality to Egyptian cotton towels.

The main type of cotton grown in America is upland cotton. This material had short or medium staple, so it is of a lesser quality than cotton with longer staples, such as Egyptian.

Terry Cloth

Terry cloth is often used for bath towels because it has loops on both sides of the ground cloth which makes it very soft and extra absorbent. Terry cloth is made though weaving or knitting.

Microfiber

Microfiber is a tightly woven synthetically made fiber that is sometimes used in towels. It can be a blend of rayon, polyester, acrylic, or nylon. Although it is thin, it is very absorbent because there are more fibers in a smaller surface area. Many people prefer to take microfiber bath towels with them when traveling because they are soft, lightweight, absorbent, and quick drying.