Why Do Bath Towels Have A Stripe?

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Why Do Bath Towels Have A Stripe? There are several reasons bath towels have stripes, from it being a design concept to it being an indentation.

Whatever reason it ends up being, there is always a purpose for including certain design features, maybe it’s to improve functionality or just to make it look better. Stick with me as we peruse through some of the few reasons your bath towels may have stripes.

Contents

7 Reasons why towels have stripes

The weaving of cotton fabric

Before towels become “towels” there is a whole manufacturing process to it that involves procuring or weaving Cotton to form a cohesive material which is then cut into individual shapes and sizes to sew into the towels.

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During the weaving process, if the material is woven into the towel fabric and stripes are included, this may be the reason your towels have stripes.

In simple terms, the weaving technique used may be the reason for the stripes. Fret not, if this is the case then it definitely is a design choice and has its purpose.

Design Aesthetic

It may be a design concept to make that particular towel have stripes for whatever reason the manufacturer specifies. Or it may just be decorative to give the towel some character, I know it may seem odd to classify inanimate objects as having “character” however when it comes to art and aesthetics, a design choice of flaw is known to give an object is “character” which makes it unique. In other words, your towel is just unique and you should appreciate it.

Ribbing

This is a silhouette usually found on towels that’s like ridges across the surface of the towels, it provides a soft texture and makes the towel more moisture absorbent. Towels with this silhouette are usually super pricey but worth the money.

Branding

Some brands may have stripes as their logo, for example, Adidas with its iconic three stripes and Nike with its “tick”. If the brand which manufactures the towel decides to embed its unique logo or emblem on your towel to make it theirs then it may be the reason your towels have stripes.

If you don’t like the stripes then you should probably get your towels in another brand. However, if they are great towels then the stripes shouldn’t be much of a problem as long as they don’t limit functionality and whatnot.

Indentation

How do you store your towels? Do you store them with other clothes or store them in a vessel that has some spaced metals that are almost cage-like?

If you store your towels inappropriately and they get compressed they may end up picking up the shape or silhouette of the vessel they are stored in.

If that’s the case then the indentation may end up looking like stripes, and if so, you should get a dresser with a smooth surface to dry your towels in properly and avoid the “stripes”.

Odour elimination

If you aren’t aware, the main cause of odour is bacteria. When bacteria begin to thrive on a piece of cloth, it would cause the cloth to begin to give off a foul odour.

The stripes are embedded into your towels to help curtail the growth of bacteria on your towels. Also, if your towels begin to give off an odour even after you’ve washed them a couple of times.

You should disinfect your towels with substances ideal for killing bacteria to stave off the foul smell, substances like Laundry odour eliminator, If the smell still persists, then find the root of the problem and tackle it.

Keeps it fluffy and absorbent

The ideal bath towel has to be fluffy and super absorbent, if your towels aren’t then they are basically bedspreads. Stripes on your towels help keep them fluffy by limiting the shrinkage whenever you wash them. The crevices help the towels be flexible and it retains its shape and size over time.

If you need fluffy and super absorbent towels, you should try Premium Bamboo cotton towels. Or if you need to keep your towels fluffy, I’ll get into that in a minute.

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How to keep towels fluffy and absorbent

There are several tricks you can implement to keep your bath towels soft for years, making them as good as new even after years of service. These include—

Wash properly

When you follow the guide on washing machine settings for your towel it would help keep your towels fluffy for extended periods.

Also, lighten the load you put in the machine when doing laundry, you can do a couple at a time so it reduces the stress on your towels and does not compress them.

Reduce the amount of detergent you use when washing your towels, since you wash them often you don’t need to apply so much anyway. Just put enough so that it lathers a little bit and gets the job done.

Dry properly

This is the main reason you end up with shrunken towels and clothes. When you apply excessive heat to your towels the fabric will inevitably shrink, because of cotton.

Therefore, when using a dryer to dry your towels. Ease up on the tumble drying and also dry on low and slow heat. No matter how long it takes, drying properly every single time could help increase the longevity of your towels and keep them soft and fluffy.

Fabric softeners

Fabric softeners help keep your towels fluffy, however excessive it could also be detrimental to the state of your towels.

So once in a while, you can switch between using vinegar as a replacement for the softeners. It may sound bizarre but trust me it works every time. Go use it and experience the results for yourself. What do you have to lose, right?

Store properly

Do not store your towels in a compressed environment, when you compress your towels for an extended period they tend to stay compressed no matter what you do to revive the shape. Store them alone where they can breathe in a well-ventilated area.

Purchase quality towels

When you purchase quality towels, you guarantee longevity as long as you take proper care of the towels. Low quality towels tend to shrink faster and fade a lot, some even bleed during each wash and produce a lot of link which each use.

To avoid this mishap, spend a couple of extra bucks and get the best quality towels you can find on the market. That way you know you don’t have to worry about towels for a couple of years.

FAQs

How many bath towels should go in a washing machine?

Bath towels are usually quite larger, especially adult-sized ones. Therefore, if you’re washing multiple towels at once, you should first consider the size of your washing machine to determine the number of towels you throw in there at once.

Stuff the machine could lead to ripping of the towels and shrinkage. For a mid-sized washing machine, you should only wash 3 bath towels at a time to maximize efficiency.

How do I keep my towels from puckering?

To avoid puckering your towels and permanently ruining the fabric, you should not completely dry your towels in a tumble dryer. After a stint, you can take them out and let them Air-dry the rest of the way. Also, properly store your towels to help them retain their shape.

Do towels shrink in a dryer?

Yes and No. it can shrink inside a dryer if the temperature is too high, always ensure you use a constant low temperature when drying your towels to keep them from shrinking. If you maintain a low temperature, there is no way your towels will shrink in a dryer.

How often should towels be washed?

Towels should be washed at least once a week depending on how often you use them. For bath towels, if you shower 3-5 times a day and use the same towel every time, you can wash it every week or twice a week sometimes.

If it is a hand towel that you use frequently while you’re cooking. Then you should wash it at least 2 times a week, it’s more hygienic this way.

However, there are drawbacks to overwashing your towels, they may become more prone to ripping and fade over time.

Do bacteria grow on wet towels?

Wet towels are the one spot bacteria typically thrive, especially wet towels that aren’t properly spread to dry. If you use a towel and just keep it in a box, after a couple of days you will notice that it has developed a funky smell, that’s the bacteria in action. And the best way to get rid of it is by washing and drying properly this time around.