Terry Cloth vs. Microfiber Towels: Key Differences & Best ...

Terry cloth and microfiber towels both have legitimate uses in many business applications. Terry cloth is highly absorbent, affordable and luxuriantly soft. Microfiber is hypoallergenic and can be an excellent material for use on sensitive surfaces such as glass. Both materials also come in many varieties, so a company can target the qualities it most wants in a towel.

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The Basics of Terry Cloth Towels

The term terry cloth refers to a broad group of fabrics that can be made of a variety of materials at several weights, making it sometimes difficult to discuss because one type of terry cloth can have different properties than another. One universal trait of different types of terry cloth is the tiny loops that cover the material, helping make the cloth feel soft and keeping it absorbent. It is a common material for use in towels.

Benefits

Terry cloth tends to be durable. It is generally made from cotton and sometimes also infused with silk, linen or polyester fibers. This material is highly absorbent, generally able to soak up over 20 times its weight in water; therefore, it frequently serves as the primary towel material in towels for washing or drying surfaces or keeping a user dry, such as a baby&#;s bib.

Drawbacks

Terry cloth is made of cotton. Although cotton can be grown sustainably, it generally isn&#;t. Typical cotton production processes involve significant amounts of water, fertilizers and pesticides, causing major soil erosion and pollution problems worldwide. However, it&#;s possible to greatly reduce the environmental impact of cotton if it&#;s properly sourced using green practices, reducing its environmental impact. 

One way a company can confirm whether a source is using green practices is to inquire as to whether the source is part of the Better Cotton Initiative. This is a program that focuses on companies producing cotton under the Better Cotton Standard, a set of guidelines that make cotton production more ethical and sustainable. 

The Basics of Microfiber Towels

Microfiber towels are made of synthetic fibers. Microfibers are thin, measuring about one-fifth the width of a human hair. Typically, these fibers are made of polyester, but they may also be mixed with nylon to make them more water-repellent and strengthen the material. Less commonly, these fibers can be made from rayon, which gives them a silky quality. 

Benefits

Microfiber towels can have a variety of qualities similar to terry cloth in variety of material, depending on the specific substances and methods used to create it. It can be especially strong, soft, water-absorbent or water-repellent. One major benefit of microfiber towels is that they are lint-free and tend to be effective at removing dirt from surfaces.

Microfiber towels can dry quickly and are less mildew-prone than traditional cotton towels. Microfiber is also hypoallergenic and unlikely to damage sensitive surfaces such as glass or some electronic devices.

Drawbacks

Microfiber needs to dry with some care because high temperatures can cause it to melt. If this occurs, the damage is typically permanent, locking in wrinkles and potentially making the towel unusable. 

As with any material using polyester, microfiber production and use raises some significant environmental concerns, including potentially introducing microplastics into nearby water sources &#; the exact cost of which still isn&#;t understood. Polyester also involves the use of nonrenewable materials, notably petroleum. Although it&#;s possible to produce biodegradable polyester, this isn&#;t typical. 

Choosing the Right Option for Your Company

Whether microfiber or terry cloth towels might best serve your company&#;s needs is a question with no single right answer. Complicating the question further is the diversity of materials. To find an option that works for your needs, you will need to identify what you&#;re looking for in your towels. Terry cloth towels are potentially highly absorbent, but so are microfiber towels. One unique advantage of microfiber towels is their hypoallergenic quality, but this is arguably offset by the significant environmental concerns regarding their production. 

If you&#;re interested in this topic, we&#;ve written more broadly on the differences between microfiber and cotton towels in the past. If you&#;re debating whether to choose microfiber or terry cloth towels, our article will also help you decide whether other types of cotton towels might also serve your needs.

Rent Towels From Alsco

Both terry cloth and microfiber towels can serve a business well. Many businesses benefit from having a mix of both types of towels, allowing them to best use the benefits of both materials. At the very least, a business will want to have a hypoallergenic option available for clients or employees who cannot use cotton-based towels.

If you&#;d like help equipping your company with towels, consider using Alsco. Through our rental services, your company can obtain towels, washcloths, napkins and more. 

With over 130 years of experience, we at Alsco deliver high-quality items to customers quickly and efficiently while staying green, with a sophisticated laundering system that cleans better with less chemical waste and water usage. We&#;re happy to discuss how we can best fulfill your company&#;s needs. Contact us today to learn more.

References

Cotton. WWF.

Our Manifesto. Better Cotton.

What Is Microfiber? (July ). The Spruce.

What is Terry Cloth? (Materials, Colors & Projects). (August ). Shannon Fabrics.

Microfiber towels are an efficient, sanitary, and eco-friendly way to keep your home clean. Learn about 5 benefits to consider here.

Microfiber towels have been around since the s and their popularity has only continued to increase since then. Today, people use microfiber towels for everything from cleaning their cars and drying big spills to drying their hair and more. These towels are especially popular for cleaning in the kitchen, bathroom, and other areas.

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But what are the real benefits of microfiber towels and are they really worth it? Should you bother buying some? Keep reading and learn more about microfiber cleaning cloths.

1. Microfiber Towels Are Very Absorbent 

The most obvious benefit of microfiber towels is that they are very absorbent. This is because they are spun from many small fibers and each of those fibers is woven very tightly together. So, while a microfiber towel may look like any other rag, it is actually full of absorptive power because of how densely packed all those fibers are. 

When it comes to microfiber vs paper towel, you'll be able to tell the difference immediately. A paper towel is only able to absorb so much liquid because, after all, it is made of paper. The pulp in the paper towel will eventually become soaked with water and it will no longer be able to pick up any more liquid. 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website normal towel vs microfiber towel.

This will often happen even when picking up a small bit of water. A microfiber towel, on the other hand, can pick up much more liquid before becoming saturated. So, even if you have a huge spill, a microfiber towel will be much more likely to pick up all of it compared to a paper towel. 

2. Microfiber Towels Are Reusable

The main problem with paper towels is that it is nearly impossible to reuse them. As soon as they get wet, they become very difficult to use and they often tear apart under the weight of the moisture. This single-use factor is not very efficient or cost-effective. 

You are buying rolls of paper to use them once and then throw them away. If you want to be more economical, microfiber towels are certainly the way to go. They are much more durable due to the many fibers that make them up. 

Even when a microfiber towel gets wet, it will still remain very sturdy and it won't tear apart due to the moisture. All you need to do is wring it out and you can keep using it as much or as little as you want. High-quality microfiber towels can last you years if you use them correctly and take care of them as you're supposed to. 

3. Microfiber Towels Are Better for the Environment 

As mentioned before, paper towels are usually only good for one use and then you have to throw them away. This, of course, is not very good for the environment. Even though paper towels are degradable, they still require organic materials such as wood pulp to be made in the first place. 

This means that thousands upon thousands of trees need to be cut down to make paper towels that will be thrown out after one use. Since microfiber towels are reusable, you don't have to worry about this problem. Another environmental benefit is that you don't need to waste very much water when using microfiber towels.

Because microfiber cloths are so absorptive, you only need to use a few drops of water for your cloth to clean large surfaces and areas. In some cases, you might not need to use any water at all. So, if you care about the environment, it might be a good idea to invest in a microfiber towel or two. 

4. Microfiber Towels Clean Better

Microfiber towels are not only good at absorbing water but certain types of debris as well. Consider dust, for example. Dust is full of dead skin cells, hair, dead insects, and other particles. 

Leaving all this debris sitting around your house obviously won't be good for your allergies and it won't leave your home's air in great shape either. When you use a paper towel to clean up dust, it won't do a very good job of absorbing and locking in the dust. Instead, it will smear it around and spread it throughout the air, making the dust problem worse. 

It's a different story when you use a microfiber towel. Because of all the tiny fibers in the cloth, these fibers are excellent for locking in particles of dust. That way, when you clean with a microfiber towel, you won't spread the dust everywhere but instead, you will actually pick it up and lock it in. 

5. Microfiber Towers Lock in Bacteria 

As with dust, microfiber towels are also very good at locking in bacteria. Suppose you drop a piece of raw chicken on your countertop. You can try to use a paper towel to clean up the mess, but on a microscopic level, you will ultimately only smear the raw meat's bacteria all over your counter. 

But when you use a microfiber towel, the towel's tiny fibers will pick up and lock in the bacteria. That way, your surface will be completely clean and free of harmful germs. What else could you want in a towel?

All About Microfiber Towels

If you're tired of using old rags or paper towels to clean up your messes, microfiber towels might be the perfect alternative. Microfiber towels come with plenty of benefits that paper towels don't have. For example, microfiber towels are very absorbent, they are environmentally friendly, and they are great at picking up dust and bacteria. 

Most importantly, they are reusable and affordable. To learn more about microfiber towels, reach out to Purbloc and contact us here.

For more information, please visit microfiber benefits.