Beach Towel

From LoveToKnow Swimsuits

You'll never look at your beach towel the same way again.

The Trusty Beach Towel

Whether you swim at the beach or the pool, there's one beach accessory you wouldn't think of leaving behind; your beach towel. There's just no better way to dry off after your swim, unless you prefer the drip-dry method, which many of us don't.

Actually, beach towels are taken for granted by most of us. As long as we remember to bring one along, we don't tend to think much about it after that. But have you ever really considered what goes into the making of a good swim towel, and why some seem to come at a higher cost than others? Quality is the key, and if you'd like to own a towel that will last for more than one season, you might like to learn which features to look for in a high end beach towel that is truly worth what you'll pay for it.

Fabric Performance

Cotton is king, and at a glance all towel material might look the same, but that's really not the case. Simple cotton can be woven in several ways that will yield different results in thickness and absorbency. Let's take a closer look at the main fabric offerings you'll find at your favorite retailers.

  • 100% cotton is probably the most used material for beach towels. It has good absorbency, and the fibers breathe well, so towels dry in a reasonable amount of time. Towels manufactured with this most simple form of cotton are serviceable, but usually feel a little rough and thin.
  • Egyptian cotton, from the Nile River Valley region in Egypt, has long been considered the creme de la creme of cottons. The fibers are extremely strong so towels made from this material stand up well to heavy use. Egyptian cotton feels heavier to the touch, more substantial than our first example of cotton, and so towels made with this fabric fetch a slightly higher price.
  • Cotton Velour is another highly popular fabric used in beach towel manufacturing. This fabric is tightly woven to produce a very luxurious, plush feeling, however this type of beach towel will necessarily take a while longer to dry than the average cotton towel. If you want a towel that feels velvety against your skin, look for velour.

Colorfast Fiber-Reactive Swim Towels

We've covered texture and absorbency, now let's talk about visual appeal.

Have you ever purchased a particularly gorgeous beach towel, only to be disappointed that the design began to wear away with only a few washings? We have the solution for you right here.

The answer to the problem lies in fiber-reactive printing. In this process, the chemicals in the dye are actually bonded to the cellulose molecules in the beach towel fabric, so instead of that beautiful pattern just sitting on the surface of the towel's material, the colors are saturated into the fibers, resulting in brilliant hues that resist fading far longer than ordinary beach towels. If the look of your beach towel is as important to you as its absorbency, this is the best way to go.

It will be hard to be sure whether a towel has been made with fiber-reactive printing unless it says so on the label, or at the website you purchase from. Try separating the pile on the towel to see if the pattern goes all the way into the fabric depth, or if it just seems to be on the fiber tips. This is a good clue, but not a completely reliable way to tell if fiber-reactive printing has been used.

Conclusion

Bet you never realized there was so much to think about when choosing a beach towel to go with your swimsuit each year. Now that you do, get out there and find yourself a quality swim towel that will see your through the season in style.

External Links

Along with your local department stores, you'll find fabulous towels at the following online vendors. Suitable sizes are available for both adults and children.


 


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