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Paper Towel Experiment

Which is the most absorbent.

The Paper Towel Experiment is a project about which type of paper can absorb more water.

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In every store, big or small, there are numerous brands of paper towels available, each claiming to be the best, the most absorbent or the cheapest. How do we prove or disprove these claims? How do we work out which paper towels are truly great and which are almost entirely useless?

We have all seen advertisements where two brands of paper towels are compared by observing how quickly or thoroughly they suck up a mysterious blue liquid or by wiping up some muddy footprints from their kitchen floor.

This, as we know, is not very scientific - there are no figures, no proof and little truth.

Here we are going to show you how to conduct an experiment to test one of these claims: the absorbency of paper towels.

Some Facts About Kitchen Towel

• Paper towels were invented by Arthur Scott in Philadelphia, USA, in around 1900. From humble beginnings, paper kitchen towels have become a billion dollar industry.
• Paper towels are often made from post consumer recycled paper fiber, requiring fewer trees being cut down and using up to 50% less energy.

Performing the Paper Towel Experiment

“More expensive brands of paper towel are more absorbent.”

What You Will Need for the Paper Towel Experiment

• At least four brands of absorbent paper towel
• A stopwatch
• A graduated cylinder
• Fill the beaker up with exactly 200 ml of water
• Take a sheet of the first brand of towel.
• Fold and insert into the water. As you dip the towel into the water, start your stopwatch.
• After 20 seconds, remove the towel from the beaker and squeeze as much water as you can out of the towel in to the graduated cylinder using the funnel. Make a note of the volume extracted
• Repeat 5 times for each brand and note the results in your data table. You must make sure that each sheet is folded in exactly the same way for the experiment to be constant and correct.
• Write down the results for each brand in your notebook.

Work out an average for each result and write down in a table.

Plot all of your results onto a simple bar graph like the one below; you can do this on a computer or you can use graph paper and pencils.

This will allow you to show which brand of paper towel is the most absorbent and which is truly awful.

Problems and Further Experimentation

Of course, this is a very simple experiment and it does have some limitations; you are testing only one reason why people choose a certain brand.

Some brands might be excellent at soaking up spills but are very expensive. Maybe some brands are not as good at soaking up water but are better at soaking up other liquids like milk or cooking oil.

When a consumer buys paper towels, they are not just looking for absorbency. Price, softness, availability, number of sheets on a roll, and strength are all important factors when buying a roll of kitchen towel.

Perhaps you could design an experiment to rate the strength and softness, or try and calculate how much each towel costs per sheet.

Paper towel manufacturers spend millions of dollars every year but, with a few simple experiments, you can find out which brands truly are the best.

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Martyn Shuttleworth (Sep 21, 2008). Paper Towel Experiment. Retrieved Apr 03, 2024 from Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/paper-towel-experiment

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December 10, 2015

Folded or Flat Paper Towel: Which One Absorbs More Water?

A soggy project from Science Buddies

By Science Buddies

A little science can help you save an important resource you probably use every day: paper towels. Try this activity and see what simple trick can help you--and the environment! 

George Retseck

Key concepts Absorption Paper Water Molecules

Introduction We all know that washing hands throughout the day can help keep colds and flu at bay. So several times a day we lather up, scrub, rinse and then use a paper towel—then another one, maybe even three or four to dry them off. Because who wants wet hands?

But could there be a way to conserve some of that paper by getting a paper towel to go the extra mile, allowing you to dry your hands with just one single sheet? This activity just might help you find the answer.

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How Do Paper Towels Absorb Water?

By -->danit brown -->, posted february 28, 2017.

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Paper towels are made up of cellulose fibers, which also make up cotton, wood, and most other plants. These cellulose fibers are actually giant molecules that consist of many small molecules linked together.

Key To Absorption

The small molecules that combine to make up cellulose are sugar molecules; that's the key to the absorbency of paper towels.

Think how easily sugar dissolves in water. When you get a paper towel wet, the water molecules rush in and cling to the cellulose fibers. That's why paper towels are great at picking up spills.

Inedible Sugar

Although cellulose contains sugar molecules, that doesn't mean paper towels are edible. We humans don't have any of the enzymes necessary to split the cellulose molecule apart into the individual sugar molecules. That's why paper towels have no nutritional value for us.

Sources and Further Reading:

Bloomfield, Louis A. "How Things Work" at http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/. Accessed June 29, 2002.

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December 21, 2022

'Better picker-upper' absorbs three times more liquid than a paper towel

by Cell Press

When it comes to kitchen spills, paper towels and rags do the job. But using a hydrogel—a gelatin-like material in the form of a dry sheet—researchers have crafted a better picker-upper that absorbs and holds about three times more water-based liquid. The method, presented on December 21 in the journal Matter , produces an absorbent, foldable, and cuttable "gel sheet" that may one day find use in our kitchens or operating rooms to soak up liquids.

There are generally two types of materials that absorb liquids— porous materials and hydrogels. Porous materials like cloth and paper are flexible, foldable, and easy to use, but not very absorbent. On the other hand, superabsorbent hydrogels that are made of polymer, a web of large molecules, can soak up more than 100 times their weight in water. However, when dried, these hydrogels become brittle solids that crumble.

"We reimagined what a hydrogel can look like," says corresponding author Srinivasa Raghavan of the University of Maryland. "What we've done is combine the desired properties of a paper towel and a hydrogel."

To craft the gel sheets, the research team first mixed in acid, base, and other ingredients for the hydrogel in a zip-top bag. Like vinegar meeting baking soda, the mixture released carbon dioxide bubbles within the gel, creating a porous and foam-like material. Next, the zip-top bag was sandwiched between glass slabs to form a sheet and then exposed to UV light, which sets the liquid around the bubbles, leaving pores behind. Lastly, the team dipped the set sheet in alcohol and glycerol and air-dried it. This enabled the dried gel sheet to remain soft and flexible, similar to a fabric's texture.

"To our knowledge, this is the first hydrogel that has been reported to have such tactile and mechanical properties," says Raghavan. The gel sheets also stayed soft and flexible in ambient conditions for a year, indicating stability. "We are trying to achieve some unique properties with simple starting materials."

Compared to a commercial cloth pad and a paper towel, a gel sheet the same size can absorb more than three times the amount of liquid than others. When researchers placed the gel sheet over 25 mL (0.8 oz) of spilled water, the sheet swelled and soaked it up within 20 seconds, holding the water without dripping. However, the cloth pad only absorbed about 60% of the water, leaving drips behind.

The gel sheet also performed well with thick liquids, such as syrup, blood, and even fluids that are a million times thicker than water. The researchers found that the gel sheet could absorb nearly 40 mL (1.4 oz) of blood within 60 seconds, while gauze dressing soaked up only 55% of the blood. The gel sheet also holds its liquid well, whereas the blood-soaked gauze trickles. Compared to sanitary pads, sponges, and gauze, the gel sheet absorbed over two times more blood than the others.

Next, the team plans to optimize their gel sheets by increasing absorbency, strengthening the material, lowering the cost, and making the sheets reusable. The researchers are also looking to develop gel sheets for absorbing oil.

"In principle, the gel sheets could be a superior form of paper towels ," says Raghavan. He envisions the gel sheets picking up spills in kitchens and laboratories, as well as cleaning up blood from surgeries and menstrual bleeding. Because of their flexible and absorbent nature, gel sheets also have the potential to stop bleeding from severe wounds as dressing. "I'm always interested in taking our inventions further than just publishing a paper. It would be wonderful to take it to actual practical use."

Journal information: Matter

Provided by Cell Press

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Paper Towel Facts and FAQ's

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In this Article:

It’s the moment every parent dreads – you’re going about your day when your child mentions that he or she has to do a science project. If you’re one of the lucky ones, your kid will let it slip a few days after it was assigned. But if you’re like most parents, you’ll find out about it the night before it’s due. Either way, we’ve got you covered with a few science fair project ideas to make sure your child scores a top grade (or at least stays out of summer school). Best of all, these science experiments for kids can be completed with common household items you most likely already have on hand.

Testing the Strength of Paper Towels

If you find yourself short on time, testing which paper towel brand is the strongest, makes for a simple yet fun paper towel science project.

Time Needed: 2 Hours

Materials Needed:

1 roll of Bounty paper towels 3 rolls of paper towels made by 3 separate brands. 1 large plastic tub 2 cups of water Notebook or journal Graph paper 125 quarters A partner

• Detach one towel from each roll of paper towels and label each one with the corresponding brand’s name.

• Have the partner hold one of the detached sheets over the plastic tub.

• Pour exactly ½ a cup of water onto the paper towel.

• Place the quarters (one at a time) onto the paper towel until it breaks.

• Record the results of which paper towel is the strongest.

• Repeat steps 1 through 5 for each brand of paper towels.
• Create a graph to illustrate the results.

Paper Towel Absorbency Experiment

If you liked the previous idea, but don’t have over thirty dollars in quarters laying around the house, your child can always test what brand of paper towel is most absorbent.

1 roll of Bounty paper towels 3 rolls of paper towels made by 3 separate brands. 1 cup of water An even wooden or plastic table Notebook or journal Graph paper

Under your supervision, have your child complete the following steps:

• Tear off one towel from each roll of paper towels and label each one with the corresponding brand’s name.

• Pour the water onto the table in four different sections. Each section should contain exactly ¼ of a cup of water. (Make sure to give yourself some room, sothe pools of water don’t overlap.)

• Place one paper towel over one pool of water.

• Wait ten seconds.
• Remove the paper towel, and record your findings of the paper towel absorbency in the notebook.
• Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each paper towel brand.
• Create a graph to illustrate the results of which paper towel absorbs the most water.

Seed Germination with Paper Towels

Supposing your child has a few days to complete the project, a seed germination experiment is relatively hassle-free, and usually goes over well with teachers and students alike. It’s a great paper towel science fair project because it only takes a few minutes to prepare. However, it does take a few days for the seeds to grow.

3 plastic cups Bounty paper towels (Bounty is highly absorbent, so results should be seen faster) 3 plastic (or regular) plates 1 gallon of distilled water Potting soil Journal or notebook 6 bean seeds (Bean seeds are pretty big, sprout quickly and are easy to work with) Graph paper

• Place the soil into the plastic cups.

• Plant a bean about ¼ inch deep in each cup containing the soil.

• Take three sheets of Bounty paper towels and fold each in half.

• Place each of the remaining seeds inside its own folded paper towel, then place each of the paper towels on its own plate.

• Water the paper towels and soil cups until wet (not soaking) and place all the seeds in a warm, dark room.

• Monitor the seeds daily and water the soil cups or wet the paper towels again when they start to dry out.

• Note which seeds germinated when, and chart your results on graph paper. Explain which process worked better, and which seeds produced the longest, thickest sprouts.

Paper Towels Color Bridge

Paper Towel Color BridgeHere’s an idea with lots of color and wow factor. Best of all, it’s fairly simple, quick and inexpensive.

3 clear plastic cups 2 cups of water Yellow food coloring Blue food coloring Spoon 1 roll of Bounty paper towels (Using Bounty will cut down on the time it takes to see results. The channels in the towels will dispense water faster than other brands.) Under your supervision, have your child complete the following steps:

• Fill two of the cups with 1 cup of water each.

• Add yellow food coloring to one and the blue to the other.

• Stir (remember to clean the spoon so you won't mix the colors).

• Arrange the cups so that the empty cup is in the middle.

• Tear off paper towels and roll them into tight tubes.

• Stick one end of each into one of the colored waters, and the other end into the empty middle cup.

• Observe the colored water as it travels up the paper towel.
• Document your findings.

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One more paper towel, longer protection

Nianzhou yu.

a Hunan Engineering Research Center of Skin Health and Disease, Hunan, China

b Hunan Key Laboratory of Skin Cancer and Psoriasis, Hunan, China

c Dermatology Department, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan, China

Shuang Zhao

Therapeutic challenge.

COVID-19 is currently wreaking havoc all over the world. Owing to the shortage of surgical mask resources, the life-saving use of surgical masks has become a prominent topic of the public. The life cycle of a surgical mask is usually approximately 4 hours.

One of the factors that limits the effective useful life of the surgical mask is the high humidity of the wearer's expired air and the splutter that lead to moisture being trapped in the masks. 1 This not only leads to growth of bacteria but also irritates the delicate facial skin.

The solution

Paper towels, which are daily necessities, are highly absorbent and low priced. The surgical mask with a paper towel significantly reduces the amount of water vapor and the splutter exhaled from the mouth. To ensure the ability of the paper towel to absorb water vapor, the paper towel may be properly folded in half (about 1-2 times, moderate thickness), forming a rectangle. The size of paper towel should be adjusted according to the mouth position and within the range of the mask. Then the folded paper towel is placed on the inside and middle of the mask ( Fig 1 ).

Descriptions of steps: ( A ) paper towel, ( B ) surgical mask, ( C ) the folded paper towel is placed on the inside and middle of the mask.

Finally, put on the mask. The paper towel can be changed when you feel uncomfortable or at 30-minute intervals. Through our practice, the mask with a paper towel is more moisture resistant than without it and skin friendly. We hope this idea will be conducive to the prevention and control of COVID-19.

Funding sources: None.

Conflicts of interest: None disclosed.

IRB approval status: None.

Top 8 Paper Towel Science Experiments

Welcome to our specially curated collection of exciting, hands-on paper towel science experiments perfect for kids of all ages. This round-up is designed to elevate the humble paper towel from a cleaning tool to the centerpiece of fascinating scientific endeavors.

Paper towels, a household essential often summoned to tackle spills and messes, possess an unsung potential that goes beyond mere cleanup. Their woven fibers and absorbent nature make them an intriguing subject for scientific experiments. What might seem like a simple sheet of paper can, in fact, unveil many scientific principles and discoveries when looked at with an inquisitive eye.

Let’s get started!

1. Travelling Waters

This intriguing activity allows students to delve into the remarkable phenomenon of capillary action. Through this experiment, students will gain a deeper understanding of concepts such as absorption, cohesion, and adhesion.

Learn more: Travelling Waters

2. Wiggly Worm

In this experiment, you’ll create your very own wiggly worm by adding a special concoction to a paper towel strip. As if by magic, the paper towel will come to life, squirming and twisting like a real worm!

3. Grow A Rainbow Paper Towel

This experiment not only ignites your artistic side but also provides a hands-on opportunity to learn about the science behind color mixing and solubility.

Learn more: Grow A Rainbow Paper Towel

4. Keep a Paper Towel Dry Under Water

Prepare to be amazed by the extraordinary “Keep a Paper Towel Dry Under Water” science experiment! In this captivating experiment, you’ll witness the seemingly impossible as you place a paper towel underwater, only to see it remain completely dry.

Learn more: Keep a Paper Towel Dry Under Water

5. Which Paper Towel is the Strongest?

By testing and comparing different brands and types of paper towels, you can uncover which one possesses the greatest strength and durability, offering valuable insights into the practicality and effectiveness of these everyday products.

6. The Wet & Reveal Experiment with Paper Towels

This engaging science experiment offers students a unique opportunity to explore the principles of absorption and chemical reactions in a fun and creative way.

7. Tie Dyed Paper Towel Art 

In this captivating activity, you’ll transform ordinary paper towels into stunning works of art using the magical technique of tie-dye.

Learn more: Tie Dyed Paper Towel Art 

8. Paper Towel vs Water Experiment 

In this intriguing experiment, you’ll investigate the threshold at which a paper towel reaches its maximum absorption capacity.

By gradually adding water to different paper towel samples and measuring the amount of water they can absorb before reaching saturation, you’ll uncover the limits of their absorbency.

Similar Posts:

• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
• 37 Water Science Experiments: Fun & Easy
• Top 50 Fun Food Science Experiments

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How Do Paper Towels Absorb?

How to Build a Black Hole for a Science Fair Project

Unusual containers.

Looking at the way in which water is held inside a rigid, hard container such as a bowl or a cup, it can be baffling to try to figure out how a porous, soft object like a sponge, cloth or disposable paper towel, can absorb and hold water. A paper towel manages to hold water based on a different scientific principle than those that hold water in a cup, one that works because of the towel's supple shape and many tiny holes, which create surface tension.

Capillary Action

If you look closely at the surface of a paper towel, you'll see that it's full of tiny pores and holes, somewhat imitating a sponge. In fact, many super-absorbent towels are designed to be more sponge-like in their fibers and construction than cloth weaving, because by imitating the sponge's shape, the towel can have the same absorbent power.

These many tiny holes and gaps between the towel's fibers can hold water due to surface tension, also known as wicking action or capillary action. Capillary action is the small amount of elasticity that naturally occurs between molecules of water, holding them together.

Every little space in the surface of the paper towel has its own tiny "bubble" of surface tension. These bubbles are formed when the towel comes into contact with liquid because the liquid in each tiny space is kept separate from the liquid in other pores and pockets. This allows the bubbles of liquid to be held in place and even sucked upward because each pocket contains so little water that the intermolecular attraction is stronger than the gravitational pull on the liquid.

If you wring out a paper towel, the water will be expelled. This is because the act of squeezing the towel breaks the surface tension of the pockets be compressing the spaces, forcing the liquid molecules to flow together and become weighted down by gravity.

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About the Author

Lauren Vork has been a writer for 20 years, writing both fiction and nonfiction. Her work has appeared in "The Lovelorn" online magazine and thecvstore.net. Vork holds a bachelor's degree in music performance from St. Olaf College.

Photo Credits

Mets501, Wikimedia Commons

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Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics Report

Introduction.

Arranging and replicating experiments is regarded as a precious managing experience, as the performer learns to utilize the resources available, as well as rule the entire replication process. Therefore, the aim o this paper is to describe the process of an experiment dedicated to studying paper towels, and their absorbency characteristics. The results of the experiment will be recorded in accordance with the aims and principles of scientific research, and requirements of the scientific inquiry.

Project Plan

The project is aimed at confirming the statement that more expensive paper towels absorb larger amounts of water. The independent variable is the weight of water that will be absorbed by the different towels, and the dependent variable is associated with the number of samples and the price of the towels. The experiment will be aimed at measuring the volumes of the water absorbed by each towel. This is needed for defining the reasonability of purchasing more brandy and expensive paper towels.

Literature Review

As it is stated in most researches dedicated to studying the origins of the paper tissues, as well as technologies, the more porous structures are featured with better absorbency. These structures are achieved by more complicated technologies (Kalil 2008; Sasser, 2007). However, some kitchen towels may be also impregnated with special capillary active substances that will decrease the absorbency. (McMurry, 2003).

Experimental Design

First, at least four brands of paper towels will be taken (five equal samples each for decreasing the error rate). Each sample will be weighted, as the samples may be of different densities and mass. Then, each sample will be placed into the water for 25 seconds, and then weighted. This will help to remove the squeeze force factor, as samples may be squeezed with various forces that will cause the distortion of the results.

The second stage of the experiment may be arranged. The only difference is that the samples will be placed on the scales in 30 seconds after taking them off the water. This will make some water flow down, and new characteristics will be discovered.

In comparison with the generally accepted absorbency measuring method, when water is squeezed out of the samples, this method will not consider the squeezing power; hence, it is more accurate. The method was taken from the biology experiments experience when the samples are weighted after the reaction. Moreover, the porous structure of the towels will not let the experimenter squeeze all the water, which will cause sufficient distortion of the experiment results.

Sequence of Events

The quantitative data will be collected with a ruler and scales. The ruler will be needed for cutting equal pieces of the towels, and scales will be needed for weighting dry samples, and then for weighting samples after immersion into the water.

• Four brands of paper towels (5 samples for each brand, and 5 samples for the second stage if needed)
• A stopwatch
• Terry towel
• The Independent variable – is the weight of the samples before and after immersion.
• Dependent variable – the weight of the water absorbed is the dependent variable that is defined by the absorbency characteristics of each paper towel sample.
• Controlled variable – the amount of samples, and time of immersion (time of flowing down in the second part of the experiment)

Threat Reduction

The cause-effect relations between dependent and independent variables are defined by the amount of water absorbed by the towels. This will be controlled with the stopwatch, and the outside influence is closely associated with the matters of the inaccuracy of the experimenter’s assistants, hence, terry towels are needed for increasing the safety of the experiment, and reducing the threat that may be caused by water spill.

The more expensive brands of paper towels will absorb more water, and the weight difference between the initial weight, and weight after immersion will be different for different brands. The second stage will involve measuring the porous characteristics of the towel samples, while the flowed down water will be helpful for considering the absorbency characteristics of the cellulose structure.

Additionally, more brandy samples may be impregnated with capillary active substances that will improve the absorbency characteristics. However, these may be intended for cleaning, and grease removing purposes, while their absorbency features will be lower in comparison with cheaper samples. Such a presumption was achieved after study of the chemical composition of various cellulose structures, as well as capillary active substances that are used for dishwashing, or laundry.

In accordance with the findings and results of the experiment, the absorbency level of paper towels is defined by the structure and impregnation, if any, of the paper. The brands were ranged in accordance with the price, while the results did not confirm the hypothesis. Therefore, brand 3 that is a bit more expensive in comparison with brand 2, absorbed less water, and brand 4 absorbed the largest amount. However, in accordance with the hypothesis correlation presumed, the brand three was impregnated with capillary active substance. Hence, these samples are more suitable for grease removal, while the water absorbency level is decreased slightly.

The experiment was performed in accordance with the stated hypothesis, and the results that were achieved, confirmed the general statement of the key aim. Therefore, it is stated that more expensive brands of paper towels are featured with higher absorbency characteristics, while some deviation is possible. This deviation was found and confirmed by weighting samples of paper towels after immersion into water.

Kalil, B. (2008). Tissue market continues to grow. Tech Channel :Papermaking . Web.

McMurry, John (2003). Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry . Agnus McDonald.

Sasser, S., L. (2007) Paper Towels . The Texas A&M.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 1). Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paper-towel-absorbency/

"Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics." IvyPanda , 1 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/paper-towel-absorbency/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics'. 1 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paper-towel-absorbency/.

1. IvyPanda . "Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paper-towel-absorbency/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Paper Towel Absorbency Characteristics." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/paper-towel-absorbency/.

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Research Paper on Paper Towel Absorbency

Towel absorbency depends on the ability of the towel surface to absorb moisture.

Typically, all inks are well wetted surface of the paper. Practically the towel absorbency depends primarily on its porosity: more the porosity of the towel surface, the more intense absorption process. However, the total porosity of towel, which is judged on its density, still does not characterize the absorbency of different types of moisture by the towel.

Research papers on towel absorbency show that the speed and depth of moisture absorption depends on the number and size of pores, as well as the composition and properties of moisture.

Towel with large pores, such as newspaper paper, easily absorbs moisture. This provides a quick effect of drying. However, excessive absorption reduces the intensity of moisture absorption and can lead to the penetration of moisture on the reverse side of the paper, i.e., to the through penetration of moisture.

We can write a Custom Research Paper about Towel Absorbency for you!

To assess the ability of the towel absorbency in laboratory conditions, there are many different methods based on determining the rate of moisture penetration into the towel or its liquid constituents (binders, solvents). For example, a method based on soaking xylene solvent into the towel, approximately replicates the drying process.

To assess the ability of the towel absorbency for fine drying soaking time drops castor oil, di-butyl phthalate, etc is determined.

The towel moisture absorbency ratio. The towel consists of plant fibers, which due to their chemical structure, the large number of hydroxyl groups are hygroscopic. Therefore, the towel readily absorbs and releases moisture. If you put dry towel in the place with high humidity, the absorption of moisture from the air by towel will be observed, on the other hand, in a dry place, moisture evaporates from the wet towel.

Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage and is characterized by the ratio of the amount of moisture vapor in the air under these conditions, to the amount needed to achieve the state of saturation of air moisture. Each temperature and air pressure corresponds to a maximum possible moisture content.

Each value of the relative humidity corresponds to a well-defined moisture content of the towel. The amount of moisture (in the towel), in equilibrium with a given relative humidity, is called the equilibrium moisture content of the paper. The equilibrium moisture content depends on the composition of the towel. At the same relative humidity towel containing in its composition pulps, always has greater moisture content than pure cellulose due to the greater porosity.

Towel moisture rate is characterized by the ratio of mass of moisture contained in the towel, the weight of the original sample and is expressed in percentage. For different types of towel normalized humidity is 6 + 1%.

Humidity fluctuations of the towel lead to change many of its working properties and cause complications during the drying process. The fibers swell when wetted, hydrogen bonds weaken, resulting in an increase in the size and weight of towel and a sharp decrease in its drying effect.

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