Microfiber is the New Terry

The New York Times reports the demise of the terry cloth robe in swankier and spa-like hotels around the globe. Reasons to ditch the heavy robes range from the expense of cleaning them, when laundry contractors charge by the pound, to the strain of wearing them. As Joel Freyberg of the Hotel Gansevoort points out:

When we were testing robes for the hotel, one woman said putting on make-up in a heavy terry robe was like doing free weights.

What's replacing them? Lighter, more breathable fabrics like silk, cotton, or microfiber robes with light terry cloth linings, like the one I wanted to stuff into my suitcase at the Milliken Creek Inn.