Why is drying capacity important when purchasing towels?
The drying capacity of a towel is a function of the absorbency of the yarns and the density of the terry or number of loops per square inch. The loops in a towel “brush off” water from the body like a squeegee from a window. More loops of cotton per square inch mean a greater surface area for the cotton loops to absorb moisture, making you feel drier. By using finer yarns, manufacturers can weave more loops. The height of the individual loops also contributes to the density of the surface area and increases a towel’s ability to dry. Weight can be misleading. A heavy towel may be made with coarse yarns providing fewer loops and less absorbancy. Sheared towels are terry towels in which the terry loops are sheared off on one side. Since these “velour” type towels remove the loops that dry, they are often criticized because they don’t dry well. Their velvet surfaces may be soft, but absorbancy is sacrificed.
