Why Use a Towel When Playing a Sport? Understanding the Significance
Apart from the fact that using a towel when engaging in high intensity match as a part of sports is considered etiquette, the significance can be traced to a variety of needs. Towels are a necessity no matter how granted we take them for. So before delving deep in the topic, let us first understand their significance in daily life and know a little about their rich history.
A Snippet of the Past
Towels were first invented in Ottoman Turkey as a symbolic representation of the status of the royals. Weaver used to intertwine the Turkish cotton into long stripes of clothes that were adorned with embroidered gold and silver and were used by the members of the royal family to wipe their body after taking a shower. Popularly known as pestamel, the earliest specimens of towels were long enough to cover the entire body. They were extremely expensive due to the complicated works and the hard labour that was put behind it.
During the game changing industrial revolution in the 18th century, machines were introduced but it was not until the 19th century till the process of making towels became easier and less complex. They were now cheap and easy to construct. Also, with the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and rise of the western civilisation, towels became a thing of every household.
With variations introduced to their basic design, eliminating the expensive gold embroidery, towels were constructed with a variety of materials that increased their utility and contributed to their practical use. From wiping off the body after a bath, wicking off sweat, cleaning kitchen tables and floors, their uses only grew.
The Significance in Details
When it comes to sports, players usually have a tendency to use plain white towels (and in some case colourful ones). Though there is no real record for when this trend started, but flinging a towel on the shoulder during an interval or after the match became quite a symbol. The benefits of carrying a towel when playing a particular sport go beyond just a style symbol.
They can be summarised as follows:
Protecting Yourself from Germs
Call it a scientific approach, but sweat actually contains a lot of germs. It is a simple logic that sweat is one of the forms in which the body excretes toxins. So allowing them to accumulate is incorrect, when it comes to health aspects. It helps you avoid catching any kind of virus or illness. Just wipe it off using a towel! As you will notice that there are two sets of towels available, one for the face and the other for the rest of the body. That is actually the right way to be clean!
It is Classy and Respectful
Apart from just simply grossing you out, cleaning the sweat when involved in an intense session is actually deferential. It helps you stay focussed and engaged in the game. It enhances your performance, while helping you look tasteful. You really would not want to be covered in sweat and look like a boiled potato, especially at a moment of glory!
So for health reasons or just appearance issues, having a towel when playing a game is an out-and-out obligation. Though they are mostly preferred in the pristine shade of white, you can get them in adorable hues and quirky prints. Sports towels wholesale as available with reputed manufacturers can be bought in bulk by retailers at discounted prices.
