Why We Keep the ‘Good Towels’ in Reserve

Gifting sets, guest rituals, and the psychology of saving things for later.

There’s a cupboard in many homes with a stack that never moves. Towels are still in their packaging. Perfectly folded. Too new, too nice, too untouched to actually use.

They were gifted or bought during a festive sale. Or maybe they belong to a set that feels too coordinated to break up. They’re not part of the everyday pile. They’re the good towels. And they’re waiting.

But waiting for what, exactly?

When gifting means 'keep it aside'

Towels are often given as part of gift sets. They’re practical, non-intrusive, and a subtle symbol of comfort and care. A newlywed couple receives a stack in soft pinks or neutrals. A baby shower gift includes rolled hand towels in a muslin pouch. Even housewarming hampers quietly include them, folded among candles and dry snacks.

Then, they’re stored, not used. Because part of the gifting gesture lies in the towel’s newness, using it would mean erasing the mark of that moment. It’s as if the gift only retains its meaning if it remains unused, pristine and preserved.

Guests first, ourselves later

In many Indian homes, the best towels are brought out only for guests.
These towels are softer, newer, and more coordinated, perhaps part of a matching set.
Guests are shown into bathrooms where everything looks just so.

Meanwhile, the people who live in the house use older towels. Thinner. Slightly faded. Still in rotation. This isn’t always neglect. Sometimes it’s habit, or hospitality, or a belief that care is best shown outward.

The psychology of saving things

There is a deeper impulse at work here.
We save things like good towels, nice bedsheets, and unopened candles for later, or a future that feels more special, deserving, or appropriate.

This mindset is cultural and emotional. It’s tied to how we understand value.
We preserve things to avoid losing them, but in the process, we delay their purpose.

A towel that never dries anything. A soap that never gets opened. A gift that stays in its box for years. They become symbols, not objects in use.

Design is meant to be lived with

At Oodaii, every product is made to last. But more importantly, it is made to be used again and again, until the feel of cotton bamboo becomes familiar, and the shape of a towel fits instinctively into your hand. That’s the quiet pleasure of choosing something well-made, not once, but every day.

No rule says the good towel can’t be the one you use on a regular Wednesday.
Use the one you’ve been saving. Let it become part of your life, not just your shelf.

Care should not be kept aside; it should be part of everyday life.