The little science behind towel absorbency and three types of recommended towels

Absorbency is an important factor when choosing a towel.

The sales staff alsoWhich towel absorbs water the best?I often get called out to.

Looking at the results of a number of surveys,The elements required for a towel are "absorbency" and "softness" This is by far the most common response.

This is perhaps to be expected, as an important function of towels is to wipe away moisture, but many people are aware that there is a difference in absorbency between towels, and are therefore looking for towels with even greater absorbency.

This time, we will take an in-depth look at the absorbency of towels and introduce how to choose a towel that suits your preferences.

The little science behind water absorption

When we say a towel absorbs water, it means that the moisture on the surface of the skin or other parts of the body is sucked into the towel like dust being sucked into a vacuum cleaner.

このThe strength of the suction force is called "absorbency."

I learned this in elementary school science class."Capillary action"Do you remember this physical phenomenon?

This is a phenomenon in which when water comes into contact with a thin pipe or narrow gap whose walls easily get wet, the water enters the pipe or gap and moves further and further.

↓This is what happens.

This phenomenon also occurs with towels.

Regardless of gravity, moisture is generated in any direction from the part that touches the pile, so the towel can absorb moisture no matter what orientation it is used in.

What is a highly absorbent towel?

In general, the ability to absorb water is called "water absorption capacity" and the property of absorbing water is called "water absorbency."

In the case of towels, they need to absorb water thoroughly within a short period of use, so when we talk about "absorbency,"Ability to absorb a lot of water quicklySay that.

"Quick absorption of water in a short period of time"とCapacity to absorb large amounts of waterOnly when these two are in place canHighly absorbent towelIt is called.

Sinking quickly ≠ high water absorption

One way to advertise high water absorption is to show how long it takes for a towel to sink in water.In fact, the fact that a towel sinks quickly in water does not fully explain its high absorbency.

The method for measuring the time it takes for a towel to start sinking in water is the "sedimentation method," a test method defined in the JIS standard.

This test only tells you how fast it sinks, not how much water it can absorb.

Of course, it is important that it sinks quickly, but because cotton is heavier than water, if all that is needed is for it to sink quickly, thinner materials or coarser fabrics that have less resistance to water will sink faster.

To explain its high water absorption capacity,In addition to the speed at which it sinks in water, information on the amount of water absorbed is required. will be important.

Towel absorbency = "speed" x "amount"

It is important for a towel to absorb water not only quickly but also in large quantities.Just smoking a lot doesn't mean muchBecause even if you take a long time to absorb a lot of water, it won't be useful as a towel.

For example, it takes about 1 to 3 minutes to dry your body after a bath, and it takes a few seconds to dry your face after washing it or your hands after washing your hands. In this short time, the moisture on your body and hands must be absorbed.

To overcome this, there's a teaching called It's not just about being fast, but also about having the quantitative ability to absorb a lot of water while maintaining that speed..

Do heavy, sturdy towels absorb a lot of water?

Generally, cotton is known as a water-absorbent material. Many people think that the heavier and firmer the towel is, the more water it will absorb.

Actually, that's not correct.

Cotton can absorb water into its fibers, but only about 25% of its mass.

In the case of a 100g towel, the amount of water that the cotton fibers can absorb is only 25g (25ml), or about 5 teaspoons. Nevertheless, the amount of water that a towel can absorb is about 2 to 3 times its own weight for a typical cotton towel, and about 5 to 6 times its own weight for a highly absorbent towel.

This means that a 100g towel can absorb up to 600ml of water.

If the amount of water absorbed by the cotton itself is 25 ml, where does the remaining 575 ml of water go?

The answer is exactly that: the gaps between the fibers.

Nowadays, most towels are made from cotton, and when making a towel, several thin, short cotton fibers are twisted together to make a single thread, which is then entangled warp and weft to weave the fabric that will become the towel.

The "gaps between fibers" created by twisting cotton fibers together, and the "gaps between threads" created by weaving the fabric into a pile surface, absorb a lot of water through capillary action.

To put it in perspective, the closer it is to a structure with lots of small gaps, like a polyurethane sponge used in the kitchen, the more easily it will absorb water.

Yes, you can enjoy Okesa Persimmons in the form ofThe amount of water absorbed by a towel is determined not only by the towel's weight (the amount of cotton) but also by the weaving method of the fabric..

If you want absorbency, a soft towel is the way to go.

So far we've been talking a bit about the absorbency of towels, but what kind of towels are actually highly absorbent and comfortable to use?

As I wrote earlier, when it comes to towels, absorbency means "the ability to absorb a lot of water quickly." Generally, fluffy, soft towels are more likely to absorb water quickly due to capillary action.

Soft towels, such as those known as non-twisted yarn towels, are often made by untwisting the yarn, but untwisting the yarn creates many gaps, making it easier for capillary action to occur.

The size and number of gaps is also important, so not all soft towels will absorb water quickly, but in general they tend to absorb water faster than towels that have a firm feel.

However, it is important to note that fluffy, soft towels are often made lighter than regular towels, so their water absorption capacity is proportional to their mass.

The absorbency of a towel depends not only on its mass but also on its structure. As well as mass, thickness is also important. It is important that the towel is not just heavy, but also has a moderate thickness that is balanced with the weight.

Why soft towels get soggy

When you use a fluffy towel made from soft, untwisted yarn,Sticky wipe feelHave you ever felt this way?

This is when you wipe the surface with a lot of water absorbed, scrubbing it hard.This is because the water that was once held within the towel is pushed out.

As mentioned earlier, towels do not absorb water into their fibers, but rather by trapping it in the gaps between the fibers.

Fluffy, soft towels have more gaps than regular towels and can absorb more water, but because the towel is soft, it can be easily crushed even with light pressure, and the water it has absorbed can be squeezed out.

For that reason,It may feel sticky when you wipe it with a strong scrubbing motion.

Those who like to scrub thoroughly will prioritize the comfort of the wipe.

When you wipe your body,I want to move the towel around and scrub thoroughly.If you are one of those people, you are more concerned about the comfort of the towel rather than the absorbency of the towel itself.Emphasis on tactile sensationPlease try and choose.

Ordinary towels have a pile surface, which provides resistance and a pleasant sensation when you wipe your body. At the same time, the pile part scrapes off moisture from the surface of the skin, so even if the towel itself does not absorb moisture, it is able to wipe off moisture to a certain extent.

Of course, it is better to have a high absorbency because it will have a synergistic effect with the towel's absorbency, but if you want to move the towel around vigorously to wipe,Rather than choosing towels with high absorbency, we recommend towels that have a firm texture and do not easily lose moisture when rubbed hard..

The same goes for towels you use to dry your hands; since you will often be scrubbing your hands while moving them, we recommend a thick, sturdy towel.

UCHINO towels selected by absorbency

A soft towel absorbs moisture quickly, just like a vacuum cleaner, when it lightly touches wet skin, so it is suitable for people who want to wipe gently without moving the towel too much, people with delicate skin, and as a face towel after washing. In addition to its high water absorption, the towel is lightweight, making it suitable for hair drying.

From here, we would like to introduce you to some soft towels with excellent absorbency that UCHINO confidently recommends.

1. The fastest water absorption: "Miracle Towel® Super Marshmallow®" and "Gokufuwa®"

"Miracle Towel® Super Marshmallow®"And"Gokufuwa®" - a series of extremely absorbent towelsIt is,Designed with the highest water absorption capacity among UCHINO productsに な っ て い ま す.

The water absorption rate of these two points isThe best cotton towelsIt is not an exaggeration to say.

Compared to other companies' highly absorbent towels with a reputation for their absorbency, the graph below shows that "Super Marshmallow®" and "Gokufuwa®" are overwhelmingly faster in terms of the absorption speed until they reach saturation moisture (maximum water absorption).

 The weight of the towels for "Gokufuwa®" is equivalent to that of other companies' towels, and for "Super Marshmallow®" it is about 30% lighter than other companies' towels, which shows how superior the absorbency of these two towels is.

AnywaysEmphasis on water absorption speedThis towel is recommended for those who:

[Miracle Towel® Super Marshmallow®]
・Patented
・Winner of the Gold Award at the 2019 Hospitality Selection
・Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class I certified
・Recommended by the Japan Atopic Dermatitis Association

[Very good absorption Gokufuwa®]
・Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class I certified
・Recommended by the Japan Atopic Dermatitis Association

2. UCHINO's greatest masterpiece! The best balance of speed, absorbency, and wiping comfort "Happy Towel®"

I want to wipe it thoroughly with a towel that feels soft to the touch.In the case of those who are"Happy Towel®" has a good balance of texture, wiping comfort, water absorption speed and water absorption capacitySize: XNUMX mL

By using extremely fine, loosely twisted yarn for the pile, which is about one-fifth the thickness of the yarn used in ordinary towels, and weaving it using our own unique technology, we have created a towel with an unprecedentedly delicate and soft feel.

There is little feeling of moisture returning, and each pile fiber adheres closely to the skin without any gaps, providing an excellent, firm wiping experience.

 Compared to other companies' highly absorbent towels, the weight is roughly the same, but the initial water absorption rate and saturated moisture content are both significantly higher.

[Happy Towel®]
・Patented
・Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class I certified
・Recommended by the Japan Atopic Dermatitis Association

3. The Rich: The No. 1 absorbent towel with a luxurious feel and hotel-like volume

Like a hotel towel"The Rich" is recommended for those who want to thoroughly wipe with a thick towel.

Despite their overwhelming volume, like those found in luxury hotels overseas, they are incredibly light and have a soft, elastic feel that is hard to imagine.

The pile part is made of a special type of yarn called hollow yarn, which has a macaroni-like shape with gaps in the yarn, so it is voluminous but not heavy, and above all, it has outstanding water absorption.

In terms of absorbency, it is No. 1 among all UCHINO towels currently available.
It absorbs a lot of water and has a fast water absorption rate, so you can enjoy a rich wiping experience.

 Its absorbency is far superior not only to other companies' highly absorbent towels, but also to towels from Middle Eastern hotels that are similar in mass.

[The Rich]
・Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Class I certified
・Recommended by the Japan Atopic Dermatitis Association

Summary

A highly absorbent towel is one that has both the ability to quickly absorb water in a short amount of time and the capacity to absorb a large amount of water.

If you want high absorbency, we recommend choosing a soft towel.
However, for those who like to scrub, it may feel sticky and the wiping experience may not be satisfactory.
If you want to scrub thoroughly, we recommend choosing a towel that prioritizes texture over absorbency.

Choose a towel with the performance that suits your usage and enjoy a comfortable towel life.