The microfiber blend is the ratio of polyester and polyamide.
Polyester and polyamide are polymer fibers, most microfiber for cleaning is made of a blend of the two materials. “Nylon” is the DuPont brand name for polyamide.
The filaments have different characteristics:
Polyester
- Wicking ability / Capillary Action
- Stiffness
- Scrubbing
- Less Expensive
Polyamide
- Absorbent
- Elastic/Stretch/Flex
- Softness
- More Expensive
Microfiber for cleaning and car care comes in a range of blends of Polyester/Polyamide:
- 70/30
- 75/25
- 80/20
- 85/15
- 100/0 (100% Polyester)
70/30 yarn is the most expensive, the most absorbent and the softest. 100% polyester is the least expensive, the least absorbent, and the most abrasive.
Why it matters for detailing
For professional detailers, who are often working on delicate paint surfaces, the blend and quality of the yarn can make a huge difference in how the product functions.
When working on soft paint, or when compounding, polishing, and doing paint correction, detailers want to use a towel with a fine, and soft yarn, which will not add defects to the clear coat (they are trying to remove them, after all).
In most instances, professional detailers will choose a towel with a 70/30 blend, and ultra-fine fibers.
For less delicate detailing processes, many detailers will choose a less expensive towel. When cleaning these surfaces it is okay to go with a towel with a lower ratio blend (and less expensive towel):
- Wheels and Wheel Wells
- Engines
- Trim & Plastic
- Windows and Mirrors
- Interiors
Why you can’t trust the label
Well, you can with us… our towels are labeled with the correct blends.
but,
Towel blend is not marked because it is the most important specification, it is marked because the fabric composition is required labeling, by US Customs.
Many Towels are mis-labeled with higher quality blends, because no one is checking, and factories can get away with selling under-spec fabric.
If you are a professional detailer you should always use your experience and good judgement to evaluate how each towel is working with your process.
Bleeding
Polyamide will absorb dye in the fiber than polyester, so towels with a higer ratio of polyamide will tend to bleed more when they are darker colors (black, red, dark blue).
The only way to make microfiber colorfast is to make it 100% polyester.
Our Towels Listed by Blend:
70/30:
75/25:
80/20:
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