Towel and Textile Terms and Definitions Common to our Products

Weaves and Finishes

Box Weave/Waffle Weave/Matte is a simple over-and-under type of weave of varying tightness and yarn thickness depending on its purpose.

Momie Weave is a crepe-type weave that is as durable as it is elegant.

Terry Weave has loops for optimal absorbency; the higher the loops, the more plush a towel feels. It is long-wearing, easy to launder and requires no ironing.

Velour is a terry towel with the loops sheared off on one side and having a thick, plush pile.

Jacquard Weaves have a reversible design woven in unlike printed towels which feel scratchy because of dye deposits on the surface.

Flat Weave is a generic term we use for various products that are not Terry or of another weave.

Herringbone Weave is a twill having the popular “zigzag” appearance and is common in finer towels used on glassware and for similar purposes.

Gingham is a plain weave with checks, plaids or stripes.

Fabrics in The Towel Place Products

Cotton – It is one of the world’s major textile fabrics. It has excellent absorbency, it can withstand high temperatures, has high washability and it dyes well.

Egyptian Cotton - considered one of the finest types of cotton in the world. It has a long fiber and the longer the fiber the more sturdy and durable the fabric made from it will be. The length of the fiber makes it possible to make the finest of yarns without sacrificing the strength of the yarn. The reasons Egyptian cotton is superior are:

• The strength of the fiber makes fabrics more solid and more resistant to stress
• Its ability to absorb liquids gives fabrics made of Egyptian cotton deeper, brighter and more resistant colors
• Its softness feels like nothing else in the world

  
  Egyptian cotton is hand picked which guarantees the highest levels of purity. In addition, hand picking puts no stress on the fibers - as opposed to mechanical picking - leaving the fibers straight and intact.

  All these factors have resulted in the Egyptian cotton being by far the best cotton in the world. Fabrics made of Egyptian Cotton are softer, finer and last longer than any other cotton in the world.

 

Polyester – It is an extremely resilient fiber that is smooth, crisp and springy. It is lightweight, strong and resistant to creasing, shrinking, stretching, mildew and abrasion. It is readily washable and is not damaged by sunlight or weather and it is resistant to moths. You will find it blended into our products such as Aprons, Chef Hats and it is used as a backing, only (all loops are 100% cotton) in certain of our bath towels.

Fabric “Hand” - Traditionally, fabrics are evaluated subjectively using certain criteria such as the thickness, softness, stiffness, smoothness and fullness of the fabric. A combination of these properties is commonly referred to as fabric hand.

Assorted Colors versus Matching Colors in Ordering - When placing an order, you will find that most kitchen towels have “matching” dishcloths which means that, when you select the towel color, the dishcloths will match. In some cases, there are no matching items and we offer them in “Assorted” colors or designs only. Please check out our Value Sets and our Rainbow Collection, Gemstone Collection, Sierra Collection and Twill Collection Sets where all the pieces are color coordinated.