Why Do Towels Have A Band?

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Why Do Towels Have A Band? Towels usually have this band that’s usually elastic and has an inscription written in bold letters.

This band is known as the identifying band which is used to classify the towels by brand and size, without this band it may be difficult to differentiate the towels without in-depth knowledge of the product. The band also has other uses, it’s not just limited to one thing.

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Other purposes the band serves in towels

Decorative

This band gives the towels a classic aesthetic that’s synonymous with towels, towels without this band just looks odd. The band is often used to give the towels “character”, which without it, the towel would just be a plain band looking piece of fabric, but with the band, it gives the towel a more attractive look.

In a Hurry? Don’t go without checking this TRENDING Topic Out - 6 Best Towels For Blackstone Griddle In 2022 out

I know you may be thinking towels are made to be functional not attractive, but the fact is, it’s always great to have the best of both worlds.

Prevents Pulling

The band reduces the risk of the towel fabric pulling and creating strings and lints. By holding the fluffy and swirly part of the towel, it helps reduce the surface area of the towel that may begin to pull if the towel snags on a piece of sharp object.

You’ll find that towels without this band tend to pull a lot and after a couple of months of using when the fabric gets strained, it will begin to unravel.

Makes it flexible

The band is usually elastic, and this property helps make the towel a bit more flexible and pliable. Especially while washing, when washing in a machine, the towel usually undergoes a range of motion which may cause it to rip if the fabric wasn’t a bit elastic.

Therefore the band gives it that added flexibility and curtails tear when it is strained by external forces. This flexibility will help you uses your towel to cover your body more comfortably without fear of ripping.

Prevents shrinking

Towel fabric is very prone to shrinking, there are many things that can cause it to begin to reduce in size and that will make it lose its fluffiness.

The addition of this band helps minimise the shrinkage because the band itself rarely shrinks, it has to be put under extreme conditions before it does.

If you’re getting into extreme conditions, I doubt you need a towel, get yourself a spacesuit or something to protect yourself better.

Identifying band

Most brands include this band as a medium to print their tags or emblem on, because the surface is flat, almost bedspread like, it is easier to write inscriptions on the band than on the rest of the towel fabric.

With this band it becomes easier to identify the names of the towels or brand their made by, towels are usually dimensional, therefore, if there aren’t means to identify them you could hardly tell which is which. Well, except you leave the paper tag on the towel, and that gets incredibly uncomfortable.

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How to prevent towels from shrinking

Since the band isn’t enough to stop your towels from shrinking, you need to take steps to avoid the fabric from shrinking. Here are a few tips to consider;

Cold wash

Whenever you’re washing your towels, it is important to cold wash them. You may be tempted to warm wash them because you think hot water helps disinfects the fabric, the only thing the warm water does it expand the fabric and when it dries it shrinks down a size smaller.

If you want to disinfect your towels, there are substances you could use to get the job done ideally without ruining your towels, like Purefrypro disinfectant spray. Wash your towels properly to avoid shrinkage.

Detergent

Some detergents are made to be extra corrosive to get tough stains out of sturdier fabrics if you use these detergents to wash your towels.

It will ruin the towel and make them shrink due to the harshness of the chemicals present in them. Even if they don’t shrink the residue of the detergent could cause skin irritations or worse.

You have to use milder detergents to wash them to retain the fluff and softness, for example, the Woolite delicate laundry detergent would be the most ideal pick for washing towels.

Dry properly

After you wash your towels, if you’re gonna dry them in a dryer, do not leave them in there for too long, and also dry on low heat, if you can avoid using a dryer completely even better.

It would help the towel retain its shape. Excessive heat is detrimental to cotton because it causes the fibres to shrink and since Towels are made of cotton. You can do the math.

Always remember, low heat when you are using a dryer. Avoid extended stints under direct sunlight if you’re sun drying.

Fabric Softeners

Fabric softeners are made to use whenever your towels begin to lose their softness, which means once in a while. If you use fabric softeners every single time you wash your towels.

After like a year or even maybe less, because the fabric is now accustomed to the fabric softeners, that would make it super playable and it would become basically cotton candy when exposed to heat. Easy up on the fabric softeners.

Fold immediately after dry

Immediately the towels dry, you should always remember to fold them immediately for storage. Do not leave them out, the extra exposure to the atmosphere could be the difference in the size after a couple of days out in the open. When you wash, dry, fold your towels neatly and store them in a humid area.

Store properly

Your towels should have their own space when storing, if you store them with heavy stuff it will compress the towels and make them shrink if left like that for extended periods. Not only that but if you store with other clothing there may be a transfer of germs and other microbial organisms.

Proper storage is ideal for the maintenance and longevity of your towels, so find a corner in your dresser or wardrobe and store your towels properly.

FAQs

What is the band on a towel called?

The band on a towel which is positioned some inches below the edge of the towel is called the cam. This woven strip of fabric serves a couple of purposes which have been outlined above.

Why do towels have a stripe?

Towels could have a stripe for numerous reasons which I can’t get into at the moment, however, the most basic reason towels have stripes is to make them fluffier and more absorbent. If you compare towels with stripes and those without, you will notice a difference between them. It may not be glaringly obvious but the difference is there all the same.

How do you disinfect towels?

There is a myth that if you put your towels in a ziplock bag and pop them in a refrigerator for a couple of hours, the bacteria will die because bacteria can’t thrive in cold environments.

However, I’ll suggest you ignore all that and purchase substances and detergent that you can include while you’re washing to help disinfect your towels PROPERLY. Don’t believe everything you see on the internet, which is an ironic thing to say since you’re reading this.

Why do towels have ribbing?

Towels have ribbing because they create a textural difference for your skin when you use them to wipe your body. Towels also have ribbing to give it a different aesthetic with the rib-like shapes across the surface.

If you don’t own ribbed towels, you definitely should get yourself a couple. They feel amazing on the skin and are super soft and fluffy. Here is a couple of ribbed towels for your consideration Classic Turkish Towels.

Is a beach towel bigger than a bath towel?

Beach towels are a couple of inches bigger than a bath towel on every side. This is because a beach towel is made to be spread on the sand at the beach for you to lay and sit on, so it needs to have a larger surface area for this purpose.

It is also different in the sense that, the beach towel has two different sides. With one side being way less absorbent so your towel doesn’t soak up water when you put it on the sand at the beach. You could use a regular towel at the beach but it’s less functional and could ruin your towels.