What Makes A Perfect Towel?

As a hotelier, the comfort of your guests is of the upmost importance. And one item that catches the attention of any guests is the towels. There is a large market for towels out there, how do you decipher which is best to purchase? Hotels4Humanity is here to help.

What should the material be?

 Egyptian cotton: Egypt is known for producing the best type of quality material. This type of fiber is long and therefore holds more moisture. This material is good for small bath towels and less for full size bath towels because the extra-long fibers means it will hold more moisture and take longer to dry. The material is incredibly soft, which is always a plus.Good question and perhaps the answer is too simple, cotton. Cotton has shown to be the softest and most absorbent type of material in multiple tests. There are many different ways cotton is woven into the material that makes the soft fluffy towels.

•  Turkish cotton: a very similar material to the Egyptian cotton, Turkish cotton is also extremely soft and has long fibers to absorb more moisture. Towels woven from this material are thick and lush. It is also more efficient in drying which makes the material more suitable for towels. It also is a very soft material to the touch.
• Pima/Supima cotton: this type of material is widely manufactured and distributed in the US and is what most towels are made of. Pima is very comparable to Egyptian cotton for its long cotton fibers and great absorbency quality.

Does it matter how it was made?

It does, the way cotton is constructed to create towels make a difference in the weight and feel of the finished material. Towels that are soft and durable yet absorbent are the best towels.

• Combed cotton: as it sounds, this process combs through the cotton fibers and removes the shorter bits. The end result is a fine, sheen type of cotton material that is best for clothing rather than towels.
• Ring-spun: Unlike the combed process, the short and long fibers are spun and woven together during the ring spun process. Doing so creates a more durable and soft material which serves better for towels.
• Terry cotton: you may have encountered this material when stepping on a plush bath mat. Terry cotton has extra fibers woven in loops to absorb more water and has a bouncier feel. 

Does color affect softness?

According to a news article done by the Seattle Times sometime back, white is the perfect color. The logic behind that article is that unlike colored fibers, there is no worry of fading. Colored towels should not be the focal point of a bathroom, the lights, fixtures, wallpaper, etc should all be eye catching and the towels white. If color, decorated towels want to be added then they should not be for use, only display. The article was not wrong, and had several good points. Colored towels are not as long lasting as neutral colors like white, cream and beige. Spots can develop over time and the color can fade. Since the fibers had to be dyed to achieve the color then the fibers have been more processed and therefore have a short life span. 

Do not let that discourage you, however, if colors enhance your brand or add a special touch, just be vigilant of the cons!

Hotels4Humanity has many quality towels on our site. 

Westpoint is one of our best brands, they have some plush luxury towels that come as a package deal and are a grab as does their branch off Martex with these Brentwood towels. If you are looking for some summer colors to fit the season, these go just perfect. We just had an entire blog on the allure of striped towels, Westpoint offers some of those too that are ideal pool and beach towels.

1888 Mills does not fall far behind with their selection of great towels. This towel, called new horizons is made of 100% ring-spun cotton. And this white and beige towels falls right into what was mentioned above about color. 1888 Mills also carries their own colored towels, with these very beachy colors made of 86% cotton and 14% polyester to make this perfect blend of Terry towels.

So what is the perfect towel?

The perfect towel, in our humble opinion, is made of fine spun cotton such as Egyptian, Turkish, and Supima. Light and neutral colored towels are less processed and will not fade, therefore lasting a good amount of time. Although softness is always important when choosing a towel, its maintenance is equally important. Consider how the cotton is constructed, because thicker, plusher towels may be nice at glance but they will weigh more with moisture and are harder to maintain. 

Whatever you choose, keep our site in mind for premium, luxurious towels for all your hotelier needs!

What Makes A Perfect Towel? posted first on https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

What Makes A Perfect Towel? syndicated from https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

What Makes A Perfect Towel? published first on https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

Hotel Towels : The First Frontier of Hotel Luxury

Put yourself in their shoes: the road warrior stumbling bleary-eyed off a transcontinental red-eye; the blissful newlyweds giddy for their well-deserved luxury honeymoon; the family of five enjoying their first vacation after a busy school year. When a guest keys into their new hotel room, few things can make them feel more relaxed and refreshed than a hot shower and a fluffy, luxurious towel.

Hotels4Humanity knows that a lush stack of pristine towels will be one of the first things your guests lay their eyes on, and we’ve taken the time to pinpoint exactly how to deliver this luxury time and again through precise care.

To find fresh towels, visit Hotels4Humanity.

When to Wash:

It may be tempting to use a new towel right away when it’s at its fluffiest; however, the reason the towel looks so appealing fresh-off-the-shelf is because it’s treated with a chemical to maintain its display appearance. Washing once to remove this chemical is essential to avoid skin irritation and maximize absorbency.

It’s also essential to wash your terry regularly*, thereafter. Towels don’t discriminate in what they absorb: in addition to water, your towels soak up soap residue, skin cells, and anything else they may come into contact with, so washing after every few uses will prevent your towels from holding onto undesirable substances.

*If you’re worried about how your towel will hold up through multiple washes, the 1888 Mills Enduraweave and the WestPointIntelliweave are designed to withstand frequent washing.

Almost more important than washing often is washing correctly. The below tips and tricks will keep your towels as fresh and luxurious as when you bought them.

How to Wash:

Setting up for Success

Is your washing machine in good shape and ready to take on a load of dense, heavy towels? Make sure the machine is up to the job!

Cycle settings are critical to properly maintaining towels’ cleanliness and durability, but they will vary based on the condition of the load. Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy as “set it and forget it” – you have to properly assess each time what is needed from your washing cycle. Towels should always be washed in warm water in order to simultaneously eliminate bacteria while protecting the fibers.

Just as two’s company and three’s a crowd, you never want to overfill your washing machine. Overfilled machines don’t disperse the detergent evenly and prevent the mechanisms from properly agitating the load. However, an underfilled machine can also damage towels by over-agitating them and causing fibers to break down faster than they would as part of an average size load. Try to aim for a capacity of around 80% to help maximize the life of your towels.

Keep Good Company

Your towels should be washed separately from clothes and other textiles. Most terry needs to be laundered in a long, warm cycle since it produces a lot of lint. These cycles aren’t necessarily the best choice for your other fabrics.

Also, it should go without saying, but washing in like colors is the best way to prevent color loss and damage. Just because your towels are high quality, doesn’t mean they don’t need to be treated right!

You can find long-lasting colored towels that use 1888 Mills patented FiberTone and WestPoint’s Staybright technology towels by visiting Hotels4Humanity.

Determining Detergent

Achieving the appropriate pH while washing is essential to the maintenance of your towels’ soft and fluffy texture. Savvy hoteliers choose regular detergent — the kind used in many homes — over commercial-grade detergent, as the heavy-duty stuff strips away the soft fibers and degrade the towel faster than a more neutral soap.

Also, in the US, detergents are highly concentrated; often, the recommended amount is double what you need. Try washing a load with half the dose to avoid soap buildup and protect color.

Finally, you can consider washing colored towels in color-safe bleach and warm water (or white towels in regular bleach and warm water) to ensure maximum cleanliness.

Look No Further than Your Kitchen Cupboard

A simple and ubiquitous household product can work wonders for keeping your towels soft and vibrant. White vinegar protects the color of your towels while stripping away excess soap build-up from previous washes, improving absorbency and texture. Add one cup directly into the drum of your washer.

Another multi-use favorite is baking soda. Famous for its odor-fighting properties, baking soda can remove musty, damp smells that build up over time. It, too, aids in eliminating dirt and residual build-up, leaving your towels soft fluffy. Add about half a cup of baking soda in addition to the recommended amount of detergent.

Finishing Touches

Repeat after me: It’s time to ditch the fabric softener. In the short-term, they give fabrics a soft, conditioned feel, but over time they will create a waxy build-up and prevent your towel from absorbing — which is kind of its main job!

A few simple tricks will keep your towels lint-free, absorbent, and fluffy after washing and drying. First, give your towels a quick shake before putting them in the dryer. Then, add a tennis ball (a new, clean one of course!) to the load to diffuse static and keep the towels tumbling, decreasing the time needed to dry.

Getting the timing right for your towels is essential to keeping their quality high. Leaving the towels damp can produce mildew, while over-drying will degrade the fibers over time. Monitor your drying cycle to best understand the amount of time needed.

Since you’ve spent all this time washing and drying your towels properly, make sure to store them neatly to ensure they stay fresh and clean. Try folding your towels into thirds to maximize space. You can also arrange towels on the shelf with the outer edges facing the front, making it easier to grab one towel at a time.

Now that we know how to care for towels, it’s time to understand how to choose a towel that best fits your needs.

How to Choose the Right Towel

Know your numbers

Towels have their own rating system based on the Gramps per Square Meter (GSM). The higher the GSM number, the thicker and denser the towel. Higher-rated GSM towels (400-600+) are not only softer and more luxurious, but also tend to last longer than lower GSM-count towels (200-300).

However, a high GSM rating isn’t always best for all guests, depending on what the towels will be used for. Towels with a lower GSM tend to be more lightweight, packable, and fast-drying after use. High-GSM also come at a higher cost. Understand a customer’s needs, expectations, and price point are critical in choosing the right towel for your hotel (or even different parts of your hotel).

Another metric to consider is Loops per Square Inch, which will help you determine how effectively it will dry and absorb. Longer fiber result in a higher Loops per Square Inch. Not only does a high loop count result in higher absorbency, the fiber loops also brush water away from the body, which plays a key role in drying quickly.

Feel Out Your Fabric Needs

Towels that are usually made for everyday use are usually a mid-grade basic cotton. Naturally, luxury towels use higher-end cotton. Luxury towels also have a longer fibers, resulting in a higher number of Loops per Square Inch.

Hotels towels made of Egyptian cotton are known for there heft and high GSM count which helps make them fluffy. American cotton, Pima, has also become popular, while lightweight bathrobes are mainly from Turkish cotton, which is usually less heavy than the Egyptian variety, while still delivering great absorbency.

To Color or Not to Color?

It’s hard to deny that plush, fluffy white towels give a clean, spa-like feel to any bathroom; hence, why they are so popular. White towels are also easy to maintain bright and pure by bleaching away stains. However, if you’re looking for a pop of color to stand out, Hotels4Humanity has everything you need.

The Choice Is Clear!

No matter what your hotel’s towel needs, you’ll be impressed with our collection of luxury towels at the best price. Come see for yourself by visiting Hotels4Humanity, we are at your service!

Hotel Towels : The First Frontier of Hotel Luxury published first on https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

Product Spotlight: Kartri

Perhaps the most underrated piece of equipment is the shower curtain. A shower curtain can easily make or break the appurtenance of your bathroom. Much like the curtains hanging in the rooms or lobby, it dresses up a room and sets a tone. Hotels4Humanity carries a great selection of shower curtains to choose one, including the brand Kartri. 

Kartri Sales Company has been in the business for a while, since 1975 in fact. It was established by a couple, Michael and Josephine Goskowski in Pennsylvania and the business quickly flourished to become a family empire. Their two daughters, Karen and Tricia, whom the company was named after took up their parent’s mantel. To this day, Katri is known all over the world for their products. They specialize in selling to the hospitality sector worldwide but their products can also be found by average consumers on popular sites such as Amazon. This company is the expert when it comes to shower curtains but their company extends beyond that and also offer accessories, bathrobes, bath slippers, top of the bed products and custom accessories to order.

There’s a reason Kartri’s shower curtains has reached the success it has. Hotels4Humanity boasts several styles and colors of the brand. Perhaps an all-time favorite is the extra heavy-duty 10 gauge vinyl Sure Check Shower Curtains. The colors are incredibly vibrant and can make any bathroom pop! From the tranquil color of blush to the harder edge color of smoke and black, these curtains accomplish style and utility. They are also flame resistant and self-extinguishable (for if the worst were to happen) as well as “stain resistant, anti-static, odor resistant, antimicrobial, and economical shower curtains.” Do we need to say more?

If solid, bold colors are more of your liking then check out the Dobbie, polyester shower curtain with sewn eyelets. As best described, “All fabric shower curtains are constructed with a reinforced triple folded heading, one and three-eighths inches in width, reinforced with a strip of no tear buckram, with one-half inch sewn eyelets. Side hems are one-inch width double fold. Bottom hems are reversed so as not to hinder the flow-off of soap and water.” This product can also be made to order.

Elegance meets chic in the Vision Check Sheer shower curtain. The look is incredibly modern and is made of 100% polyester sheer checkered squares and embedded with a water repellent coating. This type of curtain complements a wide range of bathroom styles and could be the perfect touch for your inn’s bathrooms.

Another dear favorite is the 6 Gauge Vintaff vinyl shower curtain with metal grommets. The colors are refreshing and perfect for spring and summer. The grommets are rust proof and no stich or perforation is seen on the curtain. Our favorite is the popping green color!

If you want some texture to your curtain the Marquise polyester shower curtain has exactly that. Made out of 100% polyester 150 denier diamond pattern and with water repellent coating, it comes in cream white and beautiful beige.

This is only sliver of the products Kartri has on Hotels4Humanity, be sure to visit the entire line up. And if you are interested in their products as a whole, their official website can be found here.

Thank you for reading this week’s edition of Hotels4Humanity blog and be sure to check out our other posts for tips and tricks for hoteliers.  

Product Spotlight: Kartri posted first on https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

Product Spotlight: Kartri syndicated from https://www.hotels4humanity.com/

Product Spotlight: Kartri published first on https://www.hotels4humanity.com/