How Do Egyptian-Cotton Towels Compare to MicroCotton Towels?

Understanding the different blends will help in selecting the best towels for your needs.

For many years, the most common type of towel was one made from generic cotton woven into terry cloth. Today, when you select a towel, you can choose from a variety of natural fibers and fiber blends, and also the way those fibers are woven for the towel. Choosing the right towel for your needs is a matter of understanding fibers and construction, or weaving, methods. Two of the most absorbent and softest towels are made using Egyptian cotton or MicroCotton. Which one is better will depend on what you need and your own personal preference.

Egyptian Cotton

Grown in warm, arid climates, Egyptian cotton contains long, strong fibers ideal for spinning into yarn to create a soft, dense and incredibly strong products. When Egyptian cotton is used to manufacture towels, the result is a thick, soft towel that absorbs water quickly, yet is breathable. Egyptian-cotton towels can be woven with a long loop or short loop. Longer loops have a soft and fluffy feel, will absorb water quickly and move it deeper within the towel so the surface feels less damp. Shorter-looped Egyptian cotton towels have a denser, more plush feel to them but, because of the mass of loops, absorb water the faster than a longer loop.

MicroCotton

Produced in India, MicroCotton is a trademarked cotton developed to have long, soft, durable cotton fibers. These cotton fibers, when woven into a towel, create a very soft, plush towel with the ability to wick and absorb moisture quickly. Within the cotton fibers of MicroCotton are tiny air pockets. These tiny air pockets allow the towel to absorb water rapidly and have the towel dry quickly.

Compared

Though both Egyptian-cotton and MicroCotton towels are woven to be soft, durable and absorbent, MicroCotton will be a little more absorbent that Egyptian-cotton towels. The most striking difference is how fast the towel dries after becoming moist. MicroCotton towels dry much quicker than Egyptian-cotton towels. Both towels are thick and plush, but a MicroCotton towel will feel less weighty, fluffy not bulky, than an Egyptian-cotton towel.

Considerations

The main consideration in deciding whether to purchase an Egyptian-cotton or MicroCotton towel will be the climate you live in. Because both cotton towels are equal in softness and durability, the difference is how quickly the towel dries after use. In high humidity, this attribute means the difference between a towel that soon develops a mildew odor and one that remains smelling fresh. MicroCotton's ability to quickly dry is beneficial for homes in humid regions.

References

• "Times-Journal"; Maybe Linens Should Have Expiration Dates; Marla Ballard; July 2011
• Macy's Department Store: Bath Towel Buying Guide
• Two-ThePoint.com; Turkish Cotton vs. Eygptian Cotton and Microfiber, Too; Ray and Jay

Resources

• Bed Bath & Beyond: How to Choose Towels