The Research
We didn't make up the stats. We just made the towel. Every claim on our site is backed by published research. Here are the receipts.
Your Towel Is a Petri Dish
The bacteria stats on our site come from peer-reviewed microbiology research. These aren't marketing numbers — they're lab results.
Dr. Gerba's lab tested household towels and found coliform bacteria — indicators of fecal contamination — on 9 out of 10 bathroom towels. These bacteria transfer from hands, body, and the warm damp environment where towels hang.
PubMed: Bacterial occurrence in kitchen towels (Gerba et al.)The same research found E. coli — a specific fecal bacterium — on 14% of tested towels. E. coli indicates direct fecal-oral transmission risk from towel use on the face.
PubMed: Bacterial occurrence in kitchen towels (Gerba et al.)Studies on bacterial colonization of cotton textiles show exponential growth in warm, moist conditions. A towel starting with ~260,000 bacteria on day 1 can reach hundreds of millions by day 7 due to biofilm formation — bacteria creating a self-sustaining colony on the cotton fibers.
PMC: Microbial biofilm formation on textilesHospital and household textile studies consistently find Staphylococcus aureus (including MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and various mold species on reused towels. These organisms thrive in the damp, protein-rich environment of a used bathroom towel.
PMC: Microbiological contamination of household textilesSilver Ion Technology
Silver has been used as an antimicrobial for thousands of years. Modern silver ion technology makes it permanent, washable, and EPA-registered.
NOVARON is an inorganic silver-based antimicrobial registered with the US EPA (Reg. No. 74130-1). Silver ions (Ag+) disrupt bacterial cell membranes and interfere with DNA replication, preventing bacteria from surviving or reproducing on treated surfaces.
EPA: Registered antimicrobial productsUnlike topical sprays or coatings that wash away, silver ions bonded during the manufacturing process become part of the fiber structure. Industry standard testing (AATCC 100, ISO 20743) confirms antimicrobial efficacy after 100+ industrial wash cycles.
AATCC: Textile testing methodsIndependent testing comparing silver-treated and untreated cotton towels shows bacterial load on untreated towels reaches concerning levels after 2-3 days, while treated towels maintain acceptable levels for 7+ days — effectively tripling the usable freshness window.
PMC: Silver nanoparticles in textile applicationsTextile Waste
The Loop trade-in program exists because the textile waste problem is real and measurable.
The EPA estimates that 17 million tons of textile waste is generated annually in the US, with approximately 85% ending up in landfills. Towels and household textiles are among the least recycled categories. The Loop trade-in program directly addresses this by recovering towels before they become waste.
EPA: Textiles material-specific dataConvinced Yet?
The science is clear. Your towel is gross. We built a better one.