Source of good shop towels

[Bill Dufour]

What is a good source of general use cotton towels. I bought some at horrible fright and returned them. Thin like cheesecloth. I could see through them. Did not absorb liquids, probably not much cotton in the 100% cotton fabric.
Costco towels were recommended back seven years ago last time I asked.
Any thoughts on costco microfiber towels?
Bill D

[David Bassett]

... Any thoughts on costco microfiber towels? ...

First, they aren't cotton. Second, it's a lot of towels. (A 40 pack, IIRC.) Third, recently we've been told that we're not to use micro-fiber because it sheds micro-plastics contributing to a serious pollution problem. But, before all that I bought a pack. I'd rate them better than Harbor Freight's towels, but no where as good as the 3M towels. (Lie-Nielsen uses & sells the Blue 3M towel. They're also the cheapest I've found Jojoba oil, but for shipping. Lost Art Press did sell an embroidered Red 3M towel, saying they'd had the best results with red. But, I'm pretty sure they changed suppliers since then. I also got 3M towels locally, but I think from now gone OSH. But I haven't looked much.)

If you want cotton, I use a lot of the CostCo terrycloth towels. Also in a 40 pack. Their exact size and quality have varied some from batch to batch, generally I've been satisfied.

Lastly, the premium cotton towel seems to be Huck, as least per LAP:

https://blog.lostartpress.com/2020/0...reat-yourself/

I've never tried them. And they do say they fray badly if they get cut.

[Peter Schussheim]

I agree with David's comments on micro fiber products and recommend they be avoided. McMaster-Carr sells different fabrics intended for shop use, the diaper fabric is one of the best i've found. Personally, I mostly use my old cotton t-shirts as rags and find they work very well although not as absorbent as diaper fabric.

[Richard Coers]

There are places like this on the internet, but I have no experience with them. https://affordablewipers.com/collect...RoC5q4QAvD_BwE

[Aaron Rosenthal]

Costco here have blue shop towels. Paint supply stores have painter's rags, which I use a lot.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I use retired socks and have accumulated a bag of them over the last 20 years since I seem to wear out socks faster than I go through rags. They work pretty well, but it depends what you're using them for, I imagine.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Going to Sound Creepy, But ...

I use old TShirts, and often stop and look through trash on the sidewalk or streets for old cotton shirts. I try to launder them after using them, but 1 out of 5 generally has so much finish, stain, glue and other materials, that they are throwaways. But if they are free trash, then its a winner!

[Bruce Wrenn]

Commercial linen companies are a great source of shop rags. Usually sold by the pound, and most often 100% cotton. A gym, or YMCA go thru lots of towels.

[Mel Fulks]

Yeah , I use T shirts too. Sometimes the one I’m wearing. My wife hates that.

[Kevin Jenness]

I use these non-woven paper towels for applying wiping varnish. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 No lint or color and consistent. I use torn-up old shirts for mopping up spills.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Yeah , I use T shirts too. Sometimes the one I’m wearing. My wife hates that.

LOL! Best comment of the week so far!

(P.S. My wife also hates it when I do stuff like that.)

[Greg Funk]

Third, recently we've been told that we're not to use micro-fiber because it sheds micro-plastics contributing to a serious pollution problem.

The water pollution comes from washing any synthetic clothes, it's not specific to microfiber towels. If you don't wash the micro-fiber towels there will be no pollution in the waterways.

[Jack Frederick]

Once the weather breaks to lower temps I wear sweatshirts through the winter. As such my wife goes through the pile of them about annually and chooses my rags based upon wear, stains, holes and what she doesn’t like. Duluth sweatshirts are the heaviest and best rags. T-shirts get the same treatment.

[jerry cousins]

i go to local thrift shops and buy up old t-shirts - mostly kid sizes - when they have sales it's usually $5 per bag
jerry

[Randall J Cox]

I use old t shirts, socks, towels, etc. Never bought or even considered buying towels. And the "rag bin" keeps being full after 40+ years of this and using them and tossing them all the time. Randy