What to Look for in a Salon Towel

Created: Tuesday, 09 February 2016 17:40

When clients come into your salon, they expect everything to be luxurious and clean. Every detail matters, from the scents and the decor to the music and — you guessed it — the towels. Choosing the best salon towels for your business requires careful consideration to ensure your customers enjoy every moment of their experience. 

With so many salon towel options, finding the perfect match can be challenging. However, with a few simple tips and tricks, you can find the perfect towel every time and ensure your customers always leave feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. 

Why Choose Salon-Specific Towels?

A towel is a towel, right? Do you really need to buy towels specified for salon use? The short answer is yes, and here is why:

• Salons use a lot of towels: As if we needed to tell you that! Buying salon towels in bulk ensures you always have the number of towels necessary on hand.
• A bulk salon towel order creates a uniform look throughout the salon: It adds to your branding because your customers see a specific look across the board. Salon towels have a professional appearance that your guests will notice.
• You can order different colors or sizes: You can get different towels for different areas of the salon to make them easy to sort and identify after they go through the wash cycle. Color coding your towels helps with the housekeeping portion of your business, but it also helps prevent cross-contamination by using certain towels in a certain way. Towels used to dry feet after a pedicure aren’t used on a client’s hair, for example.
• Salon towels are designed to hold up to repeated washings: Your towels last longer, saving you money in the long run. It also means your salon towels will look better over the long term than regular towels. You are less likely to see thin spots, fraying, tearing or other damage since the towels are made for heavy use.
• Bleach-proof towels are easy to sanitize: Bleach-safe hair salon towels are easy to sanitize during the wash cycle with chlorine bleach, which helps eliminate the germs that could make your salon an unhealthy environment for your clients. The bleach-proof quality also ensures towels stand up to contact with the harsh chemicals that are frequently used in salon treatments. Regular towels often become damaged under repeated contact with chemicals.
• Salon towels come in just the right size: You can get towels sized for typical salon uses and treatments, with a few different size options available. Choosing from various size options allows you to customize your towel supply to match your needs.

How to Choose the Best Towels for Your Hair Salon

To find the best salon towels, you must consider every aspect of working with them. They should be soft and luxurious for your clients yet functional and easy for you and your staff to use. The following tips will take you through everything you should consider before choosing towels for your salon. 

1. Consider Towel Construction

Towel construction is a vital consideration because of how often they'll need washing. It’s unsanitary to use the same towel with multiple customers without washing it in between, meaning that there will be a near-constant cycle of towels traveling through the washing machine during a long day at your salon. 

So, you need towels that will hold up against multiple washes rather than a towel that begins to fall apart the first time it goes through the spin cycle. Look closely for these tell-tale signs of excellent towel construction: 

• Tight, high-quality stitching: Loose threads are a sure sign of poor construction.
• Double-turned edges: This means the hems have been reinforced with double rows of stitching and are less likely to come loose in the wash.
• Advanced hemming: A simple and easy hemming job will likely result in a cheaper towel but also one that will come apart in the first wash.

2. Check the Texture

Your clients come to you for a relaxing, spa-like experience. The last thing they want to feel is a roughly textured towel on their scalps or around their necks. The feel of the salon towel on the skin is a major factor in delivering that fresh salon experience.

Most towels are made of cotton due to the absorbency of the fabric, but not all cotton feels the same. Walk down the towel aisle and touch two different cotton towels. The textures are likely to be very different.

Opt for towels that are soft to the touch. Salons that offer spa treatments, in particular, need to consider the texture because the towels are likely to come into contact with the skin frequently. Poor-quality towels are often rough or break down over time, taking away from the initial softness and fluff that makes them feel good.

When selecting towels, there’s no other way to be sure it’s soft than to run your hand over the fabric to see how it feels on your skin. If you order your salon towels online, check with the vendor to find out if they offer free samples. For just the cost of shipping, Towel Super Center is happy to send you a sample of a towel you’re considering to determine if it’s right for your salon needs, giving you the chance to feel the texture and ensure it creates just the right feeling for your salon guests.

3. Test the Weight and Thickness

A quality towel is thick with some weight to it. In fact, towel quality is often judged by weight. A lightweight towel might seem better, and in some situations, lighter is better. But thicker towels are usually more comfortable for your customers and practical for your stylists. They feel more luxurious than thin, skimpy towels. 

Heavier towels also absorb more water, making them more functional for a salon environment. You are better able to dry the hair of your clients with an absorbent towel, and the heavy towel keeps the client’s clothes dry. Review the product description to find out the weight of a particular towel you are considering.

4. Ensure Absorbency

Absorbency is one of the most vital elements of a good salon towel. The thickness also affects how absorbent the towel is. A thick, absorbent towel makes it much easier to do your job by soaking up all the excess water in the clients’ hair before you comb, cut or otherwise process the hair. The thickness of a towel is another factor that is best evaluated by seeing and feeling the towel in person through a sample.

A towel’s absorbency is a direct result of the number of loops it has. The more loops per square inch, the more absorbent it will be. Since most of us colloquially refer to loops as the general “fluffiness” of a towel, it makes sense that we correlate fluffy and heavy towels with more absorbency. If you can see the base of the towel through the loops, the odds are good that the towel will lack absorbency. 

When selecting your salon towel, you’ll want to choose double loop towels with high absorbing power to help keep your guests dryer for longer. 

It’s also reasonable to buy some towels with higher absorbency rates and others with less. Salons use towels for a variety of purposes, and not all of them include drying. Decide how many towels you want to achieve maximum absorbing power, and let the loop rate be your guide.

5. Check for Durability and Quality Construction

The quality of the construction affects the overall durability and longevity of the towels. You want towels in your salon that are soft and absorbent and also strong enough to hold up to regular washing and the use of harsh chemicals. A high-quality towel will not break down quickly. It holds its shape through several washings so it still looks great and does its job. Some indicators of good quality towels include:

• Weave: The weave of the towel is one indicator of durability and quality. A tightly woven towel holds up well. The fibers are close together and aren’t as likely to break down, so they stand up to heavy use. They also don’t shrink as much as towels that are loosely woven. Your towels maintain their size and shape after being washed, making them long enough to fit over clients’ shoulders and around their heads to dry their hair.
• Lint: High-quality towels also produce less lint, making washing and maintaining the integrity of the towels easier. Lower-quality towels create more lint by shedding the fibers that make up the fabric. With each wash, the towel loses some of its bulk and thins out. The towel may end up with thin spots or even holes completely through the towel over time. 
• Thickness: Whether from loss of bulk or construction, thin towels are more susceptible to tearing. 

Bleach-proof towels like the salon towels offered at Towel Super Center are typically thicker and higher quality so that they can stand up to the chemicals in a salon. They have a longer life without compromising the integrity of the fibers with repeated use.

6. Monitor the Material

Not all towels are created equally. In fact, not all towels are even constructed from the same material. As a salon owner, it’s important to know the differences in materials and the pros and cons to expect from each one. Some of the most common materials you’ll encounter include:

• Cotton towels: Cotton towels come in two varieties — 100% cotton towels and cotton blends. Both can be excellent choices, but pure cotton tends to be more absorbent and durable. Cotton blends can better maintain their shape over time. Across the board, cotton towels are the most popular choice for salons due to their availability, durability and absorbency.
• Microfiber towels: A synthetic material that’s the closest competitor to cotton towels, microfiber also has much to offer. This material is highly absorbent, long-lasting and quite durable. Be aware, however, that it can tend to be trickier to wash than a traditional cotton towel — a potential roadblock for a busy salon owner.
• Linen towels: Linen towels do exist, but they aren’t nearly as common as cotton or microfiber towels. While they’re highly absorbent and odor-resistant, they don’t offer the same level of plush comfort. They feel more like napkins or tablecloths than the cozy towels we’re used to. For this reason, they are likely not the best choice for your salon towel.

7. Prioritize Protection From Harsh Chemicals

One of the biggest qualities needed in salon towels is that they are bleach-proof. This quality helps both during the salon treatments you perform and during upkeep.

Bleach-proof towels stand up to straight bleach and other harsh chemicals found in salons. Towels that aren’t bleach-proof quickly become stained or spotted with regular use. They may break down due to the effect of the chemicals on the fabric. You'll have to replace the towels more frequently to help keep up the professional appearance of your salon. Over time, this can mean a lot more money spent on towels.

Once you use towels on clients, they need to be washed before being used again. If you stock your salon with bleach-proof towels, you can easily add bleach to the wash cycle, which kills germs and keeps your towels looking bright to improve the overall health, safety and appearance of your salon.

8. Coordinate Your Color

Color options allow you to customize the look of your salon towels to match your overall salon décor. Black and white salon towels are good neutral colors that fit almost any salon theme or design. You can easily redesign your salon décor without buying new towels when you go with classic white or black.

If your salon has a signature color as part of its logo or décor, colored salon towels give you the option of matching or complementing that salon color theme, creating a custom look. Plus, the pop of color adds a fun touch to your salon.

Another option is to color code your towels for different designated areas. Each stylist might have her own color of towels, or you might have one color of towels for shampooing, one for chemical treatments and another color for spa treatments. This process helps maintain the integrity of the towels by choosing towels best suited for each purpose. It also helps make organization around the salon much more accessible, particularly for the person who handles laundering all of the towels you use.

No matter what color of towels you choose for your salon needs, make sure you choose color-safe towels. In other words, the color runs through the towel for a saturated hue. Towels saturated with color won’t end up with patchy coloring because the color is intense throughout the towel, keeping the color true wash after wash. Fading or discoloration detracts from the appearance of the salon, making it look old and less professional. When you choose color-safe towels, your salon towels won’t fade or lose color, leaving them looking great even with regular washing.

9. Consider Size Options

When checking out different salon towel suppliers, look at the available sizes in salon towels. Having several options to choose from helps you customize your salon towel stockpile. One size may fit all your salon needs, or you may want different sizes for different purposes.

Any towel, no matter its size, can be either high or low quality. Nevertheless, towels come in all shapes and sizes, and as you stock your facility with these necessities, it’s important to put some thought into which sizes you’ll need and how many of each size.

To help you do this, let’s break down the different available towel sizes now.

• Washcloths: Washcloths are the smallest member of the towel family, so small and different in function that it’s easy to forget that they’re a part of the towel family at all. Most commonly, they’re used for facial care, such as washing and drying the face, although they may also be used in place of a shower poof to scrub down the entire body. While there may be variations in size, the vast majority of washcloths are square and measure 13 inches by 13 inches.
• Hand towels: We’re all likely familiar with these. These are the towels we hang in our bathrooms and kitchens and use to dry our hands after washing them. They’re also used to dry the face after a cleansing face routine. As with every other type of towel, there may be very slight size variations, but the standard is that these will be rectangular and measure 15 inches by 25 inches.
• Bath towels: A bath towel is also rectangular and is in many ways a much larger version of the hand towel. Its large size makes it perfect for drying off the entire body after a bath or shower. It can also be used as a wrap after exiting the shower and before dressing, or it may be used to dry the hair after it has been wet. Typically, this towel will measure 30 inches wide and 58 inches long.
• Bath sheets: Out of these four terms, this is likely to be the one most of us are least familiar with. It’s not that we’ve never interacted with them before, but we often lump them together with bath towels and don’t realize the differences between the two. A bath sheet is essentially a larger version of the ordinary bath towel. It has the same basic function — drying off after a shower and wrapping around yourself while you comb your hair or brush your teeth. The extra benefit that comes with the bath sheet is that it’s larger, measuring 40 inches by 70 inches and gives you more coverage if you want to wrap it around yourself.

As a salon owner, you’ll almost certainly need to stock a combination of all of these different towel varieties. Think carefully about the different types of services you offer and the towels that may be used as part of these procedures, and let this guide your decision as far as how many of each type of towel you’ll need.

10. Pay Attention to Purchasing Options

Evaluating the vendor itself is also important when looking for salon towels. You want a vendor you can trust who provides consistent customer service and quality products. The option to buy in bulk at discounted prices is important for a salon owner. Because of the sheer amount of towels you use in a day, you’ll need a large supply. Getting a discount for buying a large quantity helps spread your budget further. Towel Super Center offers wholesale pricing in bulk orders with additional discounts when you buy larger quantities of a particular towel.

When choosing a salon towel vendor, look at the company overall. Does the company specialize in towels? A vendor who focuses on the towel market is better able to evaluate your needs and provide you with top-quality products. That vendor is also more likely to be able to answer your questions and give you recommendations.

Does the vendor offer a return policy? What are the terms of the return policy? You don’t want to get stuck with towels that don’t fit your needs. Make sure you understand whether you can return the towels if they aren’t what you expect. Understand any conditions or fees for returning the items before you place your order.

You can avoid needing to return your towels by choosing a vendor who offers the option of a sample. Contact the vendor to see if they offer this option. At Towel Super Center, we suggest you request a free sample before making a large order. You pay the shipping costs, and we send you the free sample so you can see and feel the product for yourself before making a decision.

11. Ask if the Price is Right

Price isn’t everything, but in business, cost is always a factor. Like most purchases, you need to balance the cost with the quality. Salon towels that are dirt cheap keep your business’s budget happy, but you may end up sacrificing quality in order to save a little money. When those towels start breaking down, losing their shape or generally looking bad, you’ll end up spending even more money replacing them.

On the other hand, buying the most expensive salon towels usually isn’t necessary either. You can find many high-quality, soft towels that will hold up to salon use and are also affordable. Choosing a vendor with bulk rates and wholesale pricing helps you stretch your towel supply budget even further.

Different Towels for Different Stations

If your salon offers a variety of services, the simple fact is that you’ll need a wide range of different towels. Your hair-dying station will require different towels than your shampooing and conditioning station, for example. It isn’t enough to purchase an armful of identical towels that can be used interchangeably at every station. You need to tailor the towels for their precise purposes.

When it comes to choosing a towel for a specific station within your salon, ask yourself these questions to ensure the best towel fit.

1. What Size Towel Do I Need?

Will this towel be used to dry a customer’s hair quickly? Will it cover them as they lay back for a massage or a facial treatment? Will you be using it to clean their face? Start by figuring out whether a washcloth, hand towel, bath towel or bath sheet is most appropriate for the situation.

2. How Often Will I Be Washing This Towel?

Perhaps at your salon, you’re shampooing and conditioning customers’ hair every day, whereas you only color hair a handful of times a month. If this is the case, your shampooing towels will need to be washed far more frequently than your hair-dying towels. You may not want to invest in something extremely fluffy that could take a frustratingly long time to dry for your shampooing towels.

3. How Much Does Fluffiness Matter?

If a guest is going to be draped in this towel during a beauty procedure, it’s essential that the towel feels full and plush. If, on the other hand, the guest is never going to touch the towel, and the only one using it will be you to do a quick toweling off of the guest’s hair, that same level of luxury isn’t as important. 

4. What Type of Damage Might This Towel Incur?

If a towel is only used for a guest to wear while she’s being pampered, for example, it is less likely to be stained, damaged or harmed. A towel you use frequently with hair dye may get stained and need bleaching. The standard towel can be a very ordinary model while the dye towel will need to withstand frequent bleaching and stains without becoming discolored or dingy-looking.

Keep Your Salon Towels Looking Great

Once you choose the best towels for your salon, you want to keep them looking great. Proper care extends the life of the towels and ensures they are properly sanitized so you don’t unknowingly spread germs when you use them.

Here are some tips for caring for your salon towels:

• Wash new towels before you use them for the first time: That first wash removes any finishes or other items on the towels that can interfere with the absorbency. Plus, it gives your salon towels a fresh, clean feeling for the first lucky customers to experience them.
• Wash all of your salon towels after each use: Reusing salon towels increases the chances of spreading germs and creating an unhealthy salon environment.
• Avoid leaving used salon towels lying on the salon floor: This increases the chance of the towels coming into contact with germs. If the towel is already contaminated with germs, it can spread those germs to other parts of the salon.
• Wash salon towels on a high heat setting: Washing on a high heat setting helps kill germs that build up on the towels. Washing them on a cold water setting doesn’t help sanitize them.
• Use bleach to sanitize and brighten towels: This is where bleach-proof towels come in handy, as they won’t become discolored or damaged by the bleach.
• Shake each towel after washing it to fluff up the terry loops: This makes the towels fluffier, and it also helps with absorbency since the loops help remove water from skin and hair.
• Dry the towels completely in your dryer: Moisture left in the towels could support the growth of germs and bacteria. Moisture can also cause mildew to grow and can leave a musty smell in your towels, neither of which are pleasant for your salon clients.
• Don’t over-dry the towels: While you want the moisture gone, drying the towels too much can break down the fibers, eventually ruining the towel.
• Always wash your hands before handling clean towels: Touching a client’s hair, dirty styling tools or the front desk could make your hands dirty or covered in germs. The dirt and bacteria on your hands can then transfer to the freshly washed towels if you don’t wash your hands first.
• Stay away from the iron: Never iron a terry cloth salon towel. Ironing diminishes the absorbency of the towels, making them less useful.
• Fold the towels crisply and consistently: Folding in thirds is often ideal, as it maximizes your salon storage space. Folding makes the towels stack well and look nice in the salon, and it also prevents wrinkles in the towels.

Get Drying

Are you starting a new salon? Does your existing salon need an upgrade to new, quality towels? Towel Super Center offers a wide range of salon towels in white and a variety of colors. Our bleach-proof, 100% cotton salon towels hold up well under repeated use in a salon setting. With our wholesale pricing and bulk buying, you can easily stock your whole salon with just the right towels without blowing your entire salon supply budget.

We carry high-quality towels in a rainbow of colors, sizes, shapes and materials so that no matter what beauty treatments your business includes, we’ve got something for you. Browse our wholesale salon towels today to get started finding the perfect towels for your business.