• Towels are usually made with natural cotton as the base, but there are many types of cottons from different regions such as America, Egypt, and India. Each type of cotton has special qualities such as soft and hard textures.
• At Kusubashi, we use over 300 types of materials - from natural fibers to synthetic materials. Some of these are special materials that were developed in cooperation with spinning mills.
• Our extensive knowledge of these materials enables us to mix multiple fibers to create towels with a feel and advantages that were not previously possible.

	Egyptian cotton has a long history that stretches back to thousands of years before Christ. Often referred to as "a gift of the Nile", these cottons are grown from rich soil and considered to be the best in the world. Egyptian cotton has a silky shine and smooth texture.
	In the Uighur region in Xinjiang, China, high quality cotton is grown, with rich nutrients such as natural water melted from the Tianshan Mountains and incandescent sun. The hand-picked Xinjiang cotton has fine fiber and is also flexible. These threads are then unbraided to become soft, with a moist texture.
	Soy beans have isoflavone, which moisturizes and whitens our skin. At Kusubashi, we use a unique production method to make soy beans into a fiber that can be woven into fabrics. This fiber is environmentally friendly as it is recyclable. It has a moist and smooth texture.

• Animal fiber has been used mainly in fabrics for clothing. It is not usual to use animal fibers in towels as towels need to absorb water. However, animal fibers have been recently used in towels, mufflers, rugs, and blankets.
• Animal fibers offer qualities that cannot be obtained from cotton. For example, wool and camel fiber retain heat, and silk and cashmere wool have a beautiful shine with a smooth texture.

	The silk is mainly made up of a type of protein which is formed by 18 different types of amino acids. It excels at retaining moisture and is gentle to our skin. With its unmistakable silkiness, it is one of the most famous high-class materials in the world.
	Wool excels at retaining heat; it is resilient and absorbs moisture quickly. Wool is always smooth and dry on the surface. In towels, washable wools are often used to make washing towels easier. Wools have scales on the surface, and these cause the wool to shrink when washed. Washable wools are wool fibers with these scales removed, making it easier for you to wash them.
	Cashmere is a fine and soft fiber, with smooth and gentle texture and a deep shine. It retains heat and is also light and strong. Known as the jewel of fibers, cashmere is loved around the world as one of the best natural materials.

• Chemical fibers are divided into three groups - regenerated fiber, semi-synthetic fiber, and synthetic fiber, depending on the high polymer ingredients used.
  For example, regenerated fibers include rayon and cupra. Semi-synthetic fibers include acetate and soy protein fiber. Synthetic fibers include polyester and acrylic.
• Chemical fibers can artificially be made to improve water absorption, drying, and texture.
  The fiber shape can also be changed according to what is required. Chemical fibers have many possibilities, and can bring new advantages and textures that cannot be made with natural fibers.
• Materials presenting special advantages such as bincho charcoal, crab shell, and tourmaline ores can be fused into chemical fibers. These materials are usually fused into rayon, polyester, and acrylic, adding the special advantages of the fused materials while retaining the strengths of the chemical fibers.

	Rayon is made from the cellulose part of pulp. Cellulose is alkaline-processed to become a chemical compound, and then melted to make a fiber. It is a regenerated fiber because it is produced from natural materials. It has a characteristic shine and excels in absorbing and releasing moisture. Rayon began as an economical alternative to silk, as silk was very expensive for the general public.
	The strength of polyester is next to nylon, and it is a highly durable fiber. Polyester has a low moisture absorption rate, so it dries quickly. Polyester can also be made from recycled PET bottles, otherwise known as EcoPET.
	Acrylic fiber has the most wool-like texture of the synthetic fibers, and it also has advantages that are not found in wools. It is soft, fluffy, does not wrinkle easily, and does not shrink when washed. The specific gravity is about 15% lighter than wool or cotton, and acrylic fiber has a warm touch with an appropriate level of moisture retention.