How to buy a towel?
Yes, that's right. It might seem as if it is something trivial, the reality is that when you rub your body with something a few times a day, you better get ir right. Linen Place has some excellent tips:Material
Terry cloth is by far the most common towel material. It is a pile fabric, meaning it consists of cut or looped fibers that stand up close to one another on the surface of the underlying woven (or knit) material. Turkish and Egyptian cottons are the industry gold standard, as the long-stapled fibers result in softer, stronger and more lustrous material. Occasionally "Turkish towel" is used synonymously with "terry cloth" and may not necessarily be made out of Turkish cotton, (terry cloth originated from Turkey). In recent years, microfiber has become a popular material for towels. Microfiber is twice as fine as silk and both softer and more absorbent than regular cotton. Because of the lightweight and ultra absorbent nature of microfiber, gram weight is a less reliable indicator of quality.
Weight and thickness
Gram weight refers to how many grams per square meter a towel weighs. Towels made from densely woven loops will feel thirstier and have a higher gram weight. Longer loops make for fluffy towels. Generally, a towel of 600 gram weight or more is considered plush - anything upwards of 700 and 800 gram weight is luxury hotel quality. You should keep in mind, however, that a 600 gram weight towel made from exceptional cotton or microfiber may feel better than a heavier towel made with a cheaper cotton.
Size and color
The lighter the color, the softer the towel will probably be. Cotton that has been dyed a deep, rich color must go through an involved process that can leave the cotton yarns slightly less soft than their less-extensively dyed counterparts. Extra washings should help soften them up. Microfiber towels like those made from modal take dye readily and well, so even the darkest or brightest colors remain very soft. Care should be taken to wash these towels in warm, not hot, water.