It is crucial to carefully select your bath towel to enjoy the necessary comfort after stepping out of the shower or bath. The question that arises is: which towel should be used for the body? There are some essential criteria to consider to guide you in your choice. Discover what they are.
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Which towel for the body?
Summary
Published September 8, 2021,
updated on February 22, 2024,
by
Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences
—
4 min read
Criteria for choosing your bath towel.
It is important to carefully choose your bath towel. To do this, certain criteria should be taken into account and will guide you in your selection to ensure all the comfort, softness, and warmth you expect, such as:
The Material: The terry cotton is the most common material. It is soft, natural, flexible, and absorbent. This material is recommended for quick and gentle drying after a shower. As for the combed cotton, it offers great softness to the touch and is stronger than simple cotton thread. We also find the bamboo fiber. These bamboo fiber towels are highly sought after for their fluffiness and softness, and are perfectly suitable for sensitive skin. We also have the Egyptian cotton, one of the most noble and resistant materials. Moreover, its fibers are twice as long as traditional cotton, thus more absorbent. The waffle weave is a very trendy material at the moment. It is very absorbent and compact. Besides their aesthetic aspect, these towels are lightweight and guarantee quick drying. These towels dry quickly and are very light. There is also the linen, appreciated for its natural side. However, it should be reserved for skins that do not fear its slight exfoliating side.
The Weight: Indicated on the descriptions of bath products, this is a figure that informs about the density of fibers contained in the material that makes up the towel. Therefore, it refers to the weight of the towel per square meter. The average weight of bath towels is above 450 g/m2. For instance, a terry cotton towel has a weight ranging from 500 to 600 g/m2, which explains their fluffy appearance. Honeycomb towels, more compact than cotton, generally offer a weight between 200 and 250 g/m2. Thus, the higher the weight, the fluffier the towel and the more water it can absorb.
The dimensions: Size is also a criterion not to be overlooked. There are different towel models according to their size for different uses. To dry the body, opt for the bath towel with dimensions of 70 x 120 cm. This type of towel allows you to wrap your entire body after a shower. There is also the bath sheet, even larger (90 x 150 cm), which offers softness and plushness.
Which towel should you choose for your body?
The ideal choice for drying the body is to opt for a towel made of terry cotton, approximately 600 g/m2 in weight and 70 x 120 cm in dimensions. Indeed, a 740 g/m2 terry cotton towel can absorb up to 1 liter of water per square meter. Being a natural fiber, cotton is suitable for the skin of babies, children, and adults. Moreover, cotton towels are easy to maintain. Made from refined long cotton fibers, they are soft and smooth to the touch. In addition to being lightweight and soft, they are easy to care for. They have the advantage of not deforming, regardless of the frequency of use. The choice of your bath towel also depends on your skin type. Those with sensitive skin may prefer a towel made from bamboo fibers for their softness and plushness. However, the terry cotton towel has a longer drying time and thus creates all the conditions (humid environment) for the growth of bacteria and mold. Therefore, it should ideally be changed every 3 uses.
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