A towel is a piece of absorbent fabric or paper used for drying or wiping. It draws moisture through direct contact using a blotting or a rubbing motion. Look up absorption in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that Textile be merged into this article or section. ... For other uses, see Paper (disambiguation). ... Dew on a spider web Moldy bread Moisture generally refers to the presence of water, often in trace amounts. ...

Types of towels

Close-up photo of a bath towel, made of terrycloth, showing the absorbing fibres, along with a decorative pattern.

Fibres in a tea towel.

• A bath towel is used for drying one's body after bathing or showering. It is typically rectangular, with a typical size around 30"×60" (75×150 cm). A large bath towel is sometimes called a bath sheet. Some smaller bath towels are designed for use as bath mats.
• A beach towel is usually a little bit larger than a bath towel. Although it is often used for drying off after being in the water, its chief purpose is to provide a surface to lie on. They are also worn for privacy while changing clothes in a public area, and for wiping sand from the body or objects. Beach towels often have colourful patterns printed or woven into them.
• A change of towels, as supplied by maid service in an American-style hotel, is one bath towel, one hand towel, and one washcloth.
• A Foot towel is a small, rectangular towel which, in the absence of a rug, carpet or bathroom mat, is placed onto the part of the bathroom floor onto which the owner plans to first step after emerging from the shower, or, less frequently, bath.
• A hand towel is significantly smaller than a bath towel (perhaps 30x60 cm), and is used for drying one's hands after washing them.
• The term kitchen towel can refer to either a dish towel or to a paper towel, the latter usage being primarily British.
• A paper towel is a piece of paper that can be used once as a towel and then be disposed of. A perforated roll of paper towels is normally mounted on a rod a little longer than the width of the roll, or in an alternative type of hanger that has indentations on ears, the indentations fitting into the ends of the paper towel roll. Paper towels can also be found packaged like facial tissues, as individual folded sheets.
• A show towel is a sub species of the common bath or hand towel that has had trim, such as satin, lace or linen stitched onto it, or embroidery done on it, mainly to simply "look nice". They are used to add a decorative touch, usually to a bathroom, most commonly in the USA. They should not be used to actually dry anything, as regular washing ruins the added trim, and the towel buckles as well (because the towel usually shrinks differently than the trim). ^[1]
• A sports towel or chamois is a towel used by swimmers and divers, it is a super absorbent towel that wipes water away and when it becomes too wet and can be squeezed to get the water out of the towel so it can be used again.
• A sweat towel is often of similar size to a hand towel, and can be required in gyms in order to wipe down the machines after use.
• A tea towel (British English) or dish towel (American English) is a cloth which is used to dry dishes, cutlery, etc., after they have been washed. In 18th century England, a tea towel was a special linen drying cloth used by the mistress of the house to dry her precious and expensive china tea things. Servants were considered too ham-fisted to be trusted with such a delicate job, although housemaids were charged with hand-hemming the woven linen when their main duties were completed.^{[citation needed]} Mass-produced tea towels were produced during the Industrial Revolution. Today pictorial tea towels make charming and collectible souvenirs, and are occasionally used as wall decorations in European restaurants
• A washcloth, wash cloth, flannel, or face cloth is a small square about the width of a hand towel, and is used by wetting, applying soap to the towel, and then using the towel to apply the soap to skin. This increases abrasion, and can remove dead skin cells from the skin more effectively than just manual application and rubbing of soap.
• A wet towel (oshibori) is used in Japan to wash one's hands before eating. It is often given to customers of an izakaya.

Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 911 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions Originally posted on en. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 911 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Other versions Originally posted on en. ... Terry cloth. ... Close up view of towelling (tea towel) Image taken by uploader File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Close up view of towelling (tea towel) Image taken by uploader File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A mat is a generic term for a piece of fabric or flat material, generally placed on a floor or other flat surface, and serving a range of purposes including: providing a regular or flat surface, such as a mouse mat protecting that which is beneath the mat, such as... Ninety Mile Beach Australia. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A roll of paper towel. ... A box of tissues Another Box of Tissues. ... British English (BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere in the Anglophone world. ... For other uses, see American English (disambiguation). ... The Industrial Revolution was a major shift of technological, socioeconomic, and cultural conditions that occurred in the late 18th century and early 19th century in some Western countries. ... A brick wall A wall is a usually solid structure that defines and sometimes protects an area. ... A European is primarily a person who was born into one of the countries within the continent of Europe. ... A typical restaurant in uptown Manhattan A restaurant is an establishment that serves prepared food and beverages to be consumed on the premises. ... Oshibori presented on a small bamboo stand An oshibori ) is a wet hand towel offered to customers in places such as restaurants or bars in Japan. ... typical food at an izakaya An izakaya (居酒屋) is a common kind of Japanese bar or restaurant, also found in cosmopolitan cities throughout the world, popular in Japan for after-work drinking. ...

Alternative uses

Towels are often used for purposes other than drying things. For example:

• To sit, lie and stand on, to avoid direct contact with the ground, rock, chair, etc. This may be for hygiene and comfort, and in saunas or other places where nudity is common.
• Barbers use steamed towels to prepare the skin for shaving.
• To reserve seats, for example sunloungers, by the side of swimming pools or similar locations (a source of annoyance to some and amusement to others).
• A towel can act as a make-shift garment or blanket. There is a variety of uses when a towel is applied in this manner. For example, the towel can be used as an extra layer of clothing for cold conditions; or can be worn on its own around the waist (similarly to a kilt or skirt) or just under the shoulders (similarly to a long dress), usually in a warm environment.
• In Asian countries, towels (smaller in size than hand towels - usually square 30*30) are used as handkerchiefs. Men and women both carry them. The softness of the Turkish-type towel makes it a favourite for use.
• In some cases, a towel can be used to protect its owner (as well as other people). For example, a damp towel can be used to block the gap between the door and floor to help stop noxious gases or smoke from entering the room. This is especially useful in case of a fire, where, in most cases, people die of smoke inhalation before the fire reaches them.
• On cruise ships, towel animals are created for the patrons.
• Towels can also be used like a whip in what is known as towel snapping.
• To hold hot objects, much like an oven glove.
• Towels may also be used as a head dress for wet hair.
• Towels can be used as a "sling" for a broken arm.
• Towels are often used for "ice blocking."
• In boxing, a trainer will throw a towel into the ring to concede his fighter's defeat in that match. This is called "throwing in the towel."
• At sporting events, sometimes towels are handed out to fans to wave around to cheer on their team.

Hygiene refers to practices associated with ensuring good health and cleanliness. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Clothes free” redirects here. ... A boy visiting a barber A barber (from the Latin barba, beard) is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, give shaves, and trim beards. ... A man shaving using a straight razor. ... (See also List of types of clothing) Introduction Humans often wear articles of clothing (also known as dress, garments or attire) on the body (for the alternative, see nudity). ... It has been suggested that Wool blankets be merged into this article or section. ... Formal Highland regalia, kilt and Prince Charlie jacket for Black tie. ... A skirt is a traditionally feminine tube- or cone-shaped garment which is worn from the waist and covers the legs. ... Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres depicts the Comtesse dHaussonville, wearing a dress. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of death in victims of indoor fires. ... Legend of the Seas moored at San Diego, California A cruise ship, or less commonly cruise liner, is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the amenities of the ship are considered an essential part of the experience. ... Rabbit towel animal aboard Norwegian Spirit Snake towel animal aboard Norwegian Spirit; the mints form the eyes. ... Warning: Most of these pranks would be considered criminal acts in most jurisdictions. ... Since oven gloves protect your skin from burns, they must be used properly to be effective. ... Ice blocking is a quasi-sport in which individuals race to the bottom of a hill sitting on large blocks of ice. ...

Pop culture trivia

Towelie from South Park holding a bong.

• Towels played an iconic role in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. They are described as the most "massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have." The fictitious time/space traveller and Guide Researcher Ford Prefect uses the idiom "a frood who really knows where his towel is" to mean someone generally alert and aware. Some fans of Douglas Adams have seized on this idea, and towels are now considered a symbol of one's devotion to the Hitchhiker books, radio series, TV series, website, etc. Towel Day is held each year in memory of Adams.
• In the cartoon South Park a character named Towelie is a walking, talking towel that was artificially created in a lab for military/subversive purposes. As a reference to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy he frequently reminds people to bring towels, because you'll never know when you'll need a towel. As a character, he has a marijuana addiction.
• Fans started using Terrible Towels in the 1970s to encourage the Pittsburgh Steelers as they sought (and eventually won) an NFL championship.
• In 1982 Roger Neilson, the then head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, waved a white towel on the end of a hockey stick in mock surrender at what he felt was a sequence of unfair penalties during a playoff game against the Chicago Blackhawks. This became known as Towel Power. The following game thousands of fans brought and waved towels and it has remained a traditional way for fans to show their support during the playoffs. During Playoff games, GM Place hands these towels out bearing the Canucks logo.

towelie from southpark, the image is found here File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... towelie from southpark, the image is found here File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... This article is about the character Towelie. ... This article is about the TV series. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The cover of the first novel in the Hitchhikers series, from a late 1990s printing. ... David Dixon as Ford Prefect in Episode One of the TV adaptation of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... Wiktionary has a definition of: Frood Frood is a noun, a neologism of the author Douglas Adams that appears in his trilogy, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... Douglas Noël Adams (11 March 1952 – 11 May 2001) was an English author, comic radio dramatist, and musician. ... “TV” redirects here. ... H2G2 is also an acronym for the The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. ... Towel Day 2005, Innsbruck, Austria, where, by his own accounts, Adams got the inspiration to write the Guide. ... This article is about the TV series. ... This article is about the character Towelie. ... The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy originated as a 1978 radio comedy series written by Douglas Adams. ... A special edition of The Terrible Towel was created in honor of Myron Copes retirement following the 2004 Steelers season. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... City Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Team colors Black and Yellow Head Coach Mike Tomlin Owner Dan Rooney Mascot Steely McBeam League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1933–present) Eastern Division (1933–1943; 1945–1949) Western Division (1944) American Conference (1950–1952) Eastern Conference (1953–1969) Century Division (1967–1969) American Football Conference... Date January 18, 1976 Stadium Miami Orange Bowl City Miami, Florida MVP Lynn Swann, Wide Receiver Favorite Steelers by 6 National anthem Tom Sullivan Coin toss Norm Schachter Referee Norm Schachter Halftime show Up with People presents 200 Years and Just a Baby: Tribute to Americas Bicentennial Attendance 80... NFL redirects here. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Roger Paul Neilson, CM (June 16, 1934 - June 21, 2003) was a National Hockey League coach, and was responsible for many innovations in the game. ... The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. ... The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. ... Towel Power is an unofficial term used in several sports, predominantly in North America, to describe the waving of towels by fans at stadiums and arenas in order to give a morale boost to the home team. ... Inside GM Place before a Canucks game General Motors Place, also known as GM Place and The Garage, is an indoor arena at 800 Griffiths Way in Vancouver, British Columbia. ...

References

1. ^ The (American) National Gallery of Art [1]

   Like elaborately decorated pottery and Jacquard coverlets, "show towels" were made primarily for display rather than for use.

See also

• Dishcloth
• Toallagate
• Terrycloth
• h2g2 entry on towels (contains detailed uses of towels)