This product, which has a hybrid structure of cotton and polyester, is far more functional and environmentally friendly than existing towels.
The 100% cotton towel that is currently widely used has a long history and has many advantages, including high water absorption, a soft texture, and the ability to be mass-produced at low cost. On the other hand, since cotton is a natural material made from plants, it is true that there are limits to its performance improvement. In particular, problems such as poor quick-drying properties, deterioration of texture and fading due to repeated washing, etc., were high barriers that stood in the way.
Various types of towel development using chemical fibers have been carried out as techniques to address these issues. For example, towels that use polyester blend pile yarn or polyester yarn for the ground yarn have been released, but the performance improvement of towels with such a simple structure is limited. These towels have many disadvantages, such as reduced water absorption, poor texture, and increased shedding of fuzz, so they are not yet widely used.
This time, we worked on this issue with Toray, a major textile manufacturer, and succeeded in providing an answer. That is "3D towel".
First, we have achieved a feeling of use that is different from conventional towels. While maintaining the high water absorption and comfortable feel that are the strengths of 100% cotton towels, the drying time, which was the bottleneck, has been significantly reduced to about 2/3 compared to conventional products. The deterioration of texture and shedding that occurs due to repeated washing has also been dramatically improved.
Second, we achieved environmental protection performance that far exceeds that of 100% cotton towels. By incorporating chemical fibers, it is now possible to utilize recycled materials. Additionally, the quick-drying properties have a significant power and water saving effect, and we have confirmed that approximately 30% of electricity can be saved when using a dryer. While the only environmental measure for existing cotton towels was to use organic cotton, this product allows us to approach environmental conservation from a new angle, and its effectiveness is extremely high. This product marks a major turning point in the history of cotton towels, which has continued for over 100 years.
We will continue to respond to the changing times without being bound by conventional concepts and develop products that meet customer needs.
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[About 3D towel sales]
Scheduled to start selling on Amazon (Japan) from May 2021.
*Advance reservations start from April 2021.
Sales will begin at other major retailers in due course.
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*Patent applied for
*All according to our research