Towel with retaining sleeve

Abstract

A decorative towel kit and a method of using the same. The kid includes a towel folded to form a front portion and a rear portion which are adjacent each other and generally aligned along a longitudinal axis of the towel; a sleeve removably engageable about an exterior surface of the folded towel such that the sleeve is disposed generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis; and a decal provided on the sleeve. The sleeve is wrapped around the towel when folded. The decal includes a decorative image and is removably engaged with the sleeve. The kit may include one or more towels, one or more sleeves, and one or more decals that may be used in a variety of combinations with each other.

1 . In combination:
 a towel folded to form a front portion and a rear portion which are adjacent each other and generally aligned along a longitudinal axis of the towel;   a sleeve removably engageable about an exterior surface of the folded towel such that the sleeve is disposed generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis; and   a decal provided on the sleeve.   
     
     
         2 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is free of any attachments to the towel. 
     
     
         3 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the decal is removably engageable with the sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is generally rectangular in shape and has an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first end, a second end, a first edge, and a second edge; and wherein the rectangular sleeve is formed into a tubular member around the folded towel. 
     
     
         5 . The combination as defined in  claim 4 , wherein the second end of the rectangular member is disposed in overlapping arrangement with the first end thereof to form the tubular member. 
     
     
         6 . The combination as defined in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first fastener element provided on the exterior surface of the sleeve proximate the first end thereof; and   a second fastener element provided on the interior surface of the sleeve proximate the second end thereof; and wherein the first and second fastener elements cooperate to releasably secure the first and second ends of the sleeve together.   
     
     
         7 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a first region of the sleeve is disposed adjacent the front portion of the towel; a second region of the sleeve is disposed adjacent a first side edge of the front portion of the towel and adjacent a first side edge of the rear portion of the towel; a third region of the sleeve is disposed adjacent the rear portion of the towel; and a fourth region of the sleeve is disposed adjacent a second side edge of the rear portion of the towel and adjacent a second side edge of the front portion of the towel. 
     
     
         8 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the towel is adapted to be folded over a horizontal towel rack such that a top end of the folded towel is disposed on a top surface of the towel rack, and a bottom end of the front portion and a bottom end of the rear portion are disposed a distance beneath a lower surface of the towel rack, and wherein the sleeve is engaged with the folded towel such that the sleeve is disposed around the exterior surfaces of the front and rear portions in a location beneath the bottom surface of the towel rack and above the bottom ends of the front and rear portions. 
     
     
         9 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made from a flexible fabric. 
     
     
         10 . The combination as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is made from the same fabric as the towel. 
     
     
         11 . The combination as defined in  claim 1  wherein the decal is fixedly secured to the sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . A decorative towel kit comprising:
 a first towel folded to form a front portion and a rear portion which are adjacent each other and generally aligned along a longitudinal axis of the first towel;   a first sleeve removably engageable about an exterior surface of the folded first towel such that the first sleeve is disposed generally at right angles to the longitudinal axis; and   a first decal that is detachably engageable with the first sleeve and wherein the first decal includes a front face and a rear face, and the rear face is configured to be disposed adjacent an exterior surface of the first sleeve, and the front face of the first decal includes a first decorative image thereon.   
     
     
         13 . The kit as defined in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 one or more additional decals that are detachably engageable with the first sleeve; and wherein each of the one or more additional decals includes a decorative image thereon which differs from the first decorative image on the first decal.   
     
     
         14 . The kit as defined in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 one or more additional sleeves that differ from the first sleeve in appearance.   
     
     
         15 . The kit as defined in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 one or more additional towels that differ from the first towel in appearance and which are folded in the same manner as the first towel and are engageable with the first sleeve having the first decal thereon.   
     
     
         16 . A method of displaying a towel in a decorative fashion including the steps of:
 folding the towel so that it forms a folded towel having a front portion that is disposed adjacent a rear portion, and the folded towel has a top end, a bottom end, a first side and a second side; and wherein the folded towel has a longitudinal axis that extends between the top and bottom ends thereof;   wrapping a generally rectangular sleeve around the folded towel such that a first region of the sleeve is adjacent the front portion of the folded towel, a second region of the sleeve is adjacent the first side of the folded towel, a third region of the sleeve is adjacent the rear portion of the folded towel, and a fourth region of the sleeve is adjacent the second side of the folded towel; and   applying a first decorative decal to an outwardly facing front face of the first region of the sleeve.   
     
     
         17 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of engaging a first end of the sleeve with a second end thereof to form a tubular member that encircles the folded towel. 
     
     
         18 . The method as defined in  claim 17 , further comprising the step of engaging a first fastener element proximate the first end of the sleeve with a second fastener element proximate the second end of the sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The method as defined in  claim 16  further comprising the steps of:
 removing the first decorative decal from its engagement with the sleeve; and 
 applying a second decorative decal to the outwardly facing face of the sleeve. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method as defined in  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 hanging the towel over a towel rack to create the folded towel prior to engagement of the sleeve around the folded towel.