Monogrammed towels are towels that have been decorated with a monogram which is used to identify the primary user or users of the towels. Classically, the monogram is produced by embroidering the towel, a service provided for a small fee by many department stores. Monograms can also be appliqued onto a towel, or even woven or knitted into the towel itself.
Typically, monogrammed towels use initials which may stand for a specific person, or for a household in general, depending on the taste of the decorator. People can choose to order monogrammed towels for their household, and monogrammed towels are also given as gifts to people establishing a new household. Newlyweds, for example, may appreciate a gift of new towels for the house they are establishing together, and towels may also be given as a housewarming gift.
While monograms are usually initials, they do not always have to be. Some people prefer to monogram the first names of the user of the towels for a more casual feel. Other people may have “his” and “hers” monogrammed towels, along with “guest” towels for guests to the household. Other monograms may consist of family crests and other heraldic devices, with nothing to indicate which person in a family uses the towels.
There are a number of reasons to use monogrammed towels. In a big household, designating towels with monograms can ensure that people do not share towels by accident. Towels can be a great vector for transmitting disease, and they can also become rather unpleasant if they are used multiple times over the course of a day without being given a chance to fully dry out. Using monograms can also make guests feel more at home, by ensuring that they know which towels they should use.
Some people also enjoy the look and formality of monogrammed towels. Others may use their monograms to ensure that towels do not accidentally leave the household; when children grab towels for a swimming expedition or beach trip, for example, the distinctive monograms can be used to identify the towels and make sure that they return to their owners.
Monogramming services are offered by many department stores and some mail order catalogs at the time of purchase. It is also possible to make monograms at home; skilled embroiderers can create their own as brides have been doing for centuries, and programmable sewing machines can also be utilized to make monograms. Appliqued monograms are also easy to apply at home with sewing or the use of iron-on patches.