The Complete Handbook of Towels
The practical reference for buyers, sellers, and specifiers of residential and commercial towels
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
Everything you need to know to evaluate, buy, and care for towels, from fiber to finished product.
About this book
Towels seem simple, but the difference between a hotel towel that lasts 300 commercial launderings and a retail towel that pills after a month is the result of a dozen specific decisions made before the fabric is ever cut. This handbook dissects those decisions. It covers the chemistry of cotton, the geometry of terry loops, the metrics of absorbency and durability, and the finishing processes that create different textures and weights.
Reader Reviews
Matthew Thompson
★★★★★I buy towels for a 90-room inn and I've been flying blind for years, trusting the same salesman. The chapter on GSM and yarn ply alone was worth the price, because I finally understand why a heavier towel can be less durable than a lighter one. The commercial laundering section is the most practical thing I've read on this subject. I've already changed our ordering specs.
Amy Wright
★★★★★Really well organized, and it treats the reader like an adult. I appreciated that it tells you how to test an unknown towel yourself instead of just repeating brand marketing claims. I did think the glossary could be longer, and I would have liked a couple of photos, but for a pure reference handbook this is very solid. I'll be keeping it on the shelf.
Jacob Johnson
★★★★★There's solid information here, and the chapter on how towel loops actually work is interesting. But I was hoping for stronger guidance on specific brands and price points. The book is generic in places, more like a textbook than a buyer's guide. That's fine if you're starting from zero, but if you've been buying towels for a few years you'll skim a lot of it.