Blog #13: Textile Bath Products

Delia Tacheny

INT 323 - Textiles, Materials, and Sourcing

As mentioned in the previous blog, we have managed to make it down to the last couple chapters of the book! This week's topic is all about Textile Products for the Bath which is Chapter 27 in our textbook. There are a variety of textile bath products, and a lot of interesting techniques and considerations when it comes to products designed for bathrooms. 

Toweling

We all use towels on a regular basis... hand towels, washcloths, bath towels, etc. Have you ever thought about the material or manufacturing of the towel that you use to dry off with after a shower?

The number one functional need of bath towels is that they need to be moisture absorbent. In contrast to most other cases of interior products we have studied, cotton dominates this market, over synthetic fibers. Cotton is highly absorbent and soft which makes it both a desirable and efficient material for towels (Yates, 354). Interestingly, flax/ linen is slightly more absorbent, but because of its harsher hand and lower abrasion resistance, it is not a desirable choice; also, it’s comparatively higher cost of fiber limits its use in dish towels as well (354).

There are a variety of toweling fabrication techniques which includes weaving, and bonding webs of fiber, as well as terry toweling. Pile/ terry/ Turkish toweling is produced by one set of filling yarns being interlaced with one set of base warp yarns and two sets of pile warp yarns (for two sides of loops) (354). The terry toweling method uses the slack tension weaving technique, in which the base warp yarns are held under regular/ high tension while the pile warp yarns are held under slackened tension. As the reed moves forward during batting, the filling picks are compacted, and the slackened yarns are pushed into pile loops on the fabrics surface (92). Terry velour toweling has loops on one side and a densely cut pile surface on the other; the sheared velour surface may be luxurious to touch, but the level of moisture absorption is low since only the tips of the yarn are exposed (356).  There are various other types of toweling techniques used to produce different products such as "crash" plain-woven fabric, institutional toweling, huck toweling, and disposable toweling (356). 

Towels come in a variety of product types and sizes: dish towels, fingertip/ guest, washcloths, face/hand towel, bath towel, and bath sheet. Towels may be finished with certain edges or embroidery, and are often part of a coordinating set. 

When evaluating towels, typical tests measure...

Performance properties (breaking force, dimensional change, bow and skew, and appearance); colorfastness (to laundering, crocking, and light); absorbency; flammability; and microbe resistance. Because a bathroom is a humid environment, it is imperative that microbe resistance be considered. The humid conditions are a breeding ground for unwanted microbes such as mold, bacteria, and fungi. Especially in the healthcare and hospitality industries, but homeowners just the same, there is a growing concern about the problems associated with growing microbe – illness, odors, mold, and mildew (361).

Bath Rugs and Mats

While a smaller category, bath rugs and mats have different uses and therefore design considerations than towels. Rugs tend to be larger and heavier than bathmats. Bath rugs are more permanent items used for decoration, insulation, and foot comfort. Bath mats on the other hand are temporarily used to protect the floor from moisture and prevent slipping after a shower or bath (361).

Bath rugs are usually made from tufted or knitted carpeting that has a lower pile density and higher pile height than other interior carpeting. While a secondary backing isn't normally applied, an embossed adhesive is still used to secure the tufts and provide skid resistance. Bath mats may either be woven in narrow widths or cut from a wider fabric. They may be simply colored or feature a Jacquard pattern (362).

Both are subject to flammability mandates; if a small rug or mat fails the methenamine tablet flammability test, it can still be sold, but must carry a warning label that the product is flammable and fails 16 CFR 1631 (362). 

Shower Curtains

Shower curtains can either be made of woven fabric or a polymer film sheeting. Polymer film sheeting comes in a variety of thicknesses, transparencies, and colors/patterns (362). Almost any type of textile fabric may be used as a shower curtain; the interior surface must either be coated with waterproofing, or a liner must be used. Polyester fabrics are a popular choice especially in hotels because they don't typically require any treatment or liner, and they are easily laundered (363).

All the same features are evaluated -- physical properties, colorfastness, and microbe resistance -- as well as water resistance (363-365).

Yates, M., & Concra, A. (2019). Textiles for residential and commercial interiors / Mary Paul Yates; Adrienne Concra.             Fairchild Books, Bloomsbury Publishing Inc.