Microfiber towels are made of a blend of polyester and polyamide. When looking for microfiber towel quality you want a 80/20 or 70/30 polyester to polyamide ratio because these are commonly the highest quality towels.
With high quality fabrics made on the same weaving or knitting machine, a 70/30 material will be softer and more absorbent than an 80/20 material.
You don't have to know the exact specs to pick a good cloth, but for reference, 200-300 GSM is considered good for general cleaning. 600-700 GSM cloths are thicker, softer, and better for delicate surfaces. A high-quality automotive detailing cloth might be in the 600-700 GSM range.
Heavy-duty microfiber cloths are used for heavy-duty cleaning to remove deep soil and oils. These cloths are great for construction cleaning and locations like automotive shops. Medium grade microfibers are used for dusting and medium-duty tasks like wiping countertops and sinks.
Generally speaking anything between 300 and 600 is safe for paint. There are high GSM towels like 1100 and whatnot but their use cases are unknown to me. Lower GSM towels like 300-350 are good for interior and buffing off waxes/sealants. Higher GSM are good for picking up dirt off the paint safely and effectively.
Microfibers are measured in denier, which is the diameter of each fiber. By definition microfiber must be lower than one denier, which is equal to 10 micrometers. Good quality microfiber towels for cleaning usually have below 0.5 denier. This makes it small enough to pick up a variety of germs, bacteria, and microbes!
If you're looking for a guest towel then you should choose a GSM of 400 or higher. For everyday bathing, the GSM in bath towels should be 500+ to make sure they're soft and absorbent.
Other manufacturers offer an array of microfiber cleaning cloths ranked, generally, as good, better or best. As a rule, experts say, the higher-grade towels have three things in common: they're thicker, can be used longer, and can be washed more times than lower-grade towels.
Microsuede is a type of Microfiber. Microsuede is a humanmade polyester fabric, made up of millions of very fine microfibres. Faux suede has the same feel as genuine suede leather but has less of the problems associated with the real thing.
GSM rating – Grams per square meter—or GSM—refers to the weight of the microfiber fabric. The higher the GSM rating, the better the material. A GSM rating over 100 indicates a higher thread density—resulting in a stronger, more durable microfiber—while a GSM rating below 90 is considered low-quality.
16" x 16" Buff™ Pro Multi Surface Microfiber Cloths are the best microfiber cleaning cloths for cleaning anything, these work great on any surface to clean, dust, dry, buff, or polish!
Medium GSM (400-500): The all-rounder! Perfect for general cleaning, wiping down windows, and removing fingerprints. High GSM (500-800): The sweet spot for drying cars! These plush cloths soak up excess water, leaving a streak-free shine (look for these when searching for the best microfiber towels for drying car).
In short, the answer is no. The term microfibre refers to the small fibres that are made up of polyester, nylon, or a combination of the two fibers. Each fibre is knit into a waffle weave that is designed to work with the other surrounding fibres to trap the smallest particles.
Cotton sheets are more breathable than microfiber and won't trap heat as easily, providing a more comfortable sleep. However, microfiber sheets can be more durable than cotton sheets, as natural fibers — particularly less expensive cotton options — can break down more easily with frequent washes.
Microfiber Sheets: Pros and Cons
GSM: Go for a sheet with 100 GSM as it is considered a high-quality sheet with strength and durability. Anything below 90 is considered bad in quality. Weave type: The majority of microfiber sheets have a percale or sateen weave.
High-quality microfiber goes further, making the fibers even thinner and shredding the sides of the strands, creating even more surface area and, most importantly, friction, which traps dirt and germs and won't let them escape. The net-net is that high-quality microfiber can hold 99.54% of dirt and bacteria vs.
Does Microfiber Fade? Microfiber does not quickly fade if you keep it away from sunlight. Even though it's more UV-resistant than cotton, your microfiber couch is not meant to stay outdoors. Keep your microfiber furniture and towels away from UV rays to retain color and maximize their life span.
Towels that are heavier, more expensive or higher quality have a greater GSM than cheaper towels that tend to fall apart more easily. Typically, the more loops that are woven into a towel, the higher the GSM. The lightest towels are 300 to 400 GSM. A decent-quality, medium-weight towel runs 400 to 600 GSM.
GSM stands for grams per square meter (g/m2). Material with a higher GSM weighs more than material with a lower GSM. High GSM fabric is typically thicker, and if there is a pile, it is more plush. Heavier GSM towels will absorb more liquid than lighter towels.
700 - 900 GSM
Soft and absorbent, these towels are often high-priced and luxurious. A luxurious bath towel found in a hotel or spa is often made from the highest GSM cotton fabric, making it thick, soft, and absorbent.
To calculate GSM (grams per square meter) in towels, you need to divide the towel's weight by its area. First, weigh the towel to get its mass in grams. Then, measure the towel's length and width in centimeters to calculate the area in square meters.
400-600gsm towels are medium weight and generally used for everyday bath towels. 700-900gsm towels are higher end, producing fluffier and more absorbent towels though they may take more time to dry. The higher and denser the cotton loops that make up the pile are, the higher the GSM will be.