Having worked in the hotel linen industry for many years, I often hear customers come in for advice and ask, "Do your towels shed lint?" Perhaps everyone has been hurt by the lint in towels and bath towels. So what kind of towels shed lint? How can you tell if a towel is lint-free?

 

 

• 1. Why do towels shed lint?

The first thing we need to know is that 80% of pure cotton towels will definitely shed lint. This is because in the manufacturing process of towel products, in order to achieve the softness of the product, a weak twist is appropriately used in the twist of the loop. Under these circumstances, the lint will fall off easily after washing and rubbing. Other causes of lint loss in towels are as follows:

 

(1) The cotton yarn selected for towel production is of lower quality and contains more short fibres. The raw materials are not good and cause the towel products to lose lint. Good towel manufacturers will start at the source and select high-quality, first-class cotton yarn. Through strict process control, the towel products produced will be lint-free.

 

(2) There are bleaching and dyeing steps in the towel production process. Due to inferior bleaching and dyeing technology and too long cooking time, the cotton fibres will be damaged, which will also cause lint in the towel products.

 

 

(3) If the towels produced do not shed lint, but the subsequent washing method is inappropriate, this will also cause the bath towel to shed lint. Some laundries use inferior detergents to save costs, which causes the towel to shed lint. Some laundry companies also use inferior detergents to save costs. To accentuate the effect, excessive use of fabric softener and bleach will also cause the towel to shed.

 

(4) There is another reason. If we leave the towel products for a long time, the fibres of the towel products will be damaged, which will also cause the products to fall out. Some hotels will store the towel products. We store the towel products for more than 6 months. The frequency of circulation and washing is not high, and we place them in a humid environment. Too much space will damage the cotton fibre tissue, resulting in the loss of lint in towel products.

 

 

 

(1) Cotton fibre length

 

Cotton can be divided into three main categories: The first category has slender fibres with a length of 2.5 to 6.5 centimetres (1 to 2.5 inches), is lustrous, and includes excellent-quality Sea Island cotton, Egyptian cotton, and Pima cotton. Long staple cotton is low-yielding, labour-intensive, and expensive. It is mainly used for high-quality gauze and knitwear. China has a few plantations. In addition to Xinjiang's long-staple cotton, the main imports include Egyptian cotton, Sudanese cotton, etc. The second category includes common medium-length cotton, such as American upland cotton, which is about 1.3~3.3 cm (0.5~1.3 inches) long. It has wide adaptability, high yield, long fibre, and good quality. Most of the cotton grown in China falls into this category. The third category is cotton with stubby fibres, about 1 to 2.5 centimetres (0.375 to 1 inch) long, used to weave cotton blankets and low-cost fabrics or blended with other fibres.

 

 

Currently, the top towel brands on the market use the best Sea Island cotton, and a towel can easily cost several hundred yuan. The cheapest cotton is medium-length cotton, which has a high yield and long fibres. The towel products woven with it are moderately priced, the cotton yarn is soft and comfortable, the lint rate is low, and it can reach the level of high-quality products.

 

(2) Yarn count

 

S is the British count, which refers to the weight of one pound of yarn under the public moisture regain. How many 840-yard yards of yarn are there? In general, the longer the length, the higher the length uniformity, and the less short the velvet, the finer the yarn that can be spun; the more uniform the yarn, the higher the strength; and the surface is smooth and less hairy. In general, the yarn count of short fibres is represented by S, and the English expression for short fibres is Spun. The thicker the yarn, the lower the S value; the thinner the yarn, the higher the S value. But the higher the count, the finer the cotton yarn, and the better the quality.

 

There are currently 14-, 16-, 21-, 32-, and 40-count yarns on the market for towel products. 14-, 16-, and 21-count yarns are generally single-ply yarns due to their thickness. 32- and 40-count yarns are usually double-ply yarns because the yarn is very thin, which improves its strength.

In summary, the quality of 21-count yarn is slightly better, and the lint is low. Hotel towels prefer to use this type of cotton yarn to weave high-density towels with a good feel. The lint loss rate of 32 and 40-count towels reaches the level of high-quality products, and the woven towels are thicker and more absorbent.

 

(3) Yarn twist

 

The definition of a twist is the number of turns per unit length of yarn. Yarn twist means that in order for the yarn to have certain physical and mechanical properties, such as strength, elasticity, elongation, lustre, and feel, we need to change the fibre structure of the cotton yarn by twisting it. In fact, the relative angular displacement between the cotton yarn cross-sections is used to tilt the originally straight and parallel fibres and the yarn axis to change the yarn structure. The width of the thick strip gradually shrinks during the twisting process, and the two sides are gradually folded and rolled into the yarn line. A twisted triangle is formed in the centre. In the twisted triangle, the width and cross-section of the sliver change from a flat ribbon to a cylindrical yarn.

 

High-twist yarns have high strength, and cotton yarn fibres are tightly packed and not prone to linting. Untwisted towels are towels without twists. The strength of the yarn is meagre; it breaks when pulled, and it sheds a lot, but the advantage is that it is soft-super soft. Japanese towels like to use this type of cotton yarn, which is light and soft in texture but has poor durability.

 

 

Weak and low twists can improve the thickness and softness of the towel. The yarn strength is average, and the linting is heavy. Low-quality towels like to use this type of cotton yarn. The price is very cheap, and the thickness is good, which can attract consumers, but the quality is really average.

 

High-quality towels use high-end cotton yarn; the lint rate reaches the level of high-end products; the loops are tight; the water absorption is strong; the yarn strength is high; and it is very durable.

 

(4) Printing and dyeing process

 

We have mainly divided the yarn printing and dyeing process into two types: dyeing first and then weaving, and weaving first and then dyeing. Weaving first and then dyeing means that the yarn is first spun into towels, and then the towels are dyed. The dyeing time is long, and the finished towels can only be plain colours. First dye and then weave means that the yarn is first dyed and then woven into towels. The dyeing time is short, and the finished towels have different colours and rich patterns. The darker the towel, the longer the printing and dyeing time, and the greater the damage to the cotton fibre. For this reason, hotel towels are usually white because they require a high-frequency washing process; otherwise, they will fade easily. For towels used at home, we recommend buying light colours to greatly reduce the damage caused by dyeing.

 

 

• 2. How do you deal with lint on towel products?