What’s one of the most frustrating things in your kitchen? A dishtowel that doesn’t dry. It just swishes the water around the plate, the glass, the countertop. It looks pretty, feels good, but is useless. Why? There are two main reasons, and the first has to do with the country of origin. The second is about your laundry routine. Let’s start with the country of origin.
There are five top cotton growing countries in the world. India leads the way, with the United States, then China, Brazil and Pakistan. The cotton grown in each country has qualities that are particular to that country. Indian cotton is absorbent and strong. US cotton is great for clothing, while Chinese cotton is strong, yet fine. I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever seen or felt anything cotton made in Brazil, but I do know Pakistan produces cotton similar to India. And Turkey (not named in the top five) is another fabulous producer of thirsty cotton.
When I buy dishtowels for the store, the first thing I look at is the country of origin. Dishtowels have to be absorbent, sturdy, and colour-fast. Indian cotton is ideal for dishtowels (any towels!) It has a long strand, and it’s strong. It holds colour well and yet still has lots of capacity for absorbing water. The second thing is that the towels are 100% cotton (with a few exceptions. Read on.) So, good, we know where our towels should come from; now, why are there so many choices of towels?
Essentially, there’s a perfect towel for every job in the kitchen. Big towels for pots and pans, small towels for plates and bowls, lint-free towels for glassware, terry towels for your hands, flour sacks for baking and drying, linen because it lasts so long, and this is before we talk about texture!
The Jumbo towels are sold as sets of 3 and are extra big for big jobs. They double as small table linens, or bibs for lobster feasts. The flour sack sets of 3 towels are also over-sized but quite a bit thinner than the Jumbo. Flour sack is lint-free, very soft and absorbent, and works well as a bread dough proofing cloth. Sold as solids or patterns, these are the most popular towels we sell.
Glass cloths are a must for anyone who likes a beautifully polished glass. Lint-free, lightweight, and regular size, these cloths are sold as a set of two, and are also great for polishing windows or mirrors. Linen-cotton blends are also good for drying and polishing. Linen is so durable and just gets better the more you use it. Because it has such a high price tag, mixing it with cotton helps to reduce the cost to affordable and you still have the best properties of the linen in your towel.
Texture is important in a good dishtowel as the threads or loops help capture the water, pulling it off your plate or flatware, and into the towel. The Basketweave towel is a classic, a bit smaller than the average towel but very absorbent. Jacquard dish towels are also somewhat textured and very soft. The threads are woven to create a pattern, showing the reverse on the other side, pretty. The Double Cloth towels are fairly new to the store. Made from two thin layers of finely woven cotton, these towels are very lightweight but so absorbent. And they dry quickly once their work is done. The Adobe textured set of two towels are similar to the Double Cloth but a bit heavier. The texture is what helps make these towels so very thirsty.
Terry towels are also popular kitchen towel choices, and not just for the dishes. They make fabulous hand towels. The Turkish Terry Ripples are my daughters’ favourites. Both daughters find these towels to be so absorbent and sturdy. Great to grab to mop up ‘oopsies’ when you have small children around. For an even tougher towel, the set of two cotton/polyester terry towels are perfect. 80% cotton and 20% recycled polyester make for very durable and thirsty towels. Hang-Up towels are must-haves for the kitchen or the bathroom, with magnetic snaps to keep them in place.
And then there are the towels we buy because they are pretty! And why not? We spend time in our kitchens, cooking, eating, cleaning up, and an attractive towel is a useful accessory. It adds a bit of colour and pattern to a room that can be a bit monochromatic. Choosing an pretty towel isn’t a sacrifice; just check the label for made in India and you will know it will be practical as well.
Okay, so we know which country makes great dish towels, ones that will absorb water and look fabulous for years (India). What about the laundry routine? If you find your towels are starting to smell a bit funky, it is likely fabric softener. Softeners work by coating cotton fibres to reduce static electricity. Water gets trapped in the fibres and starts to smell. Even good quality towels will have this problem so switch to dryer balls to control static. Or set your dryer to stop just before everything is crispy dry. Using white vinegar in your washer can help to break down the fabric softener and bring the nice smell back.
And there you have it. Lots of choices, textures, colours and patterns for your dish drying. Pretty and practical.