Why are paper towels more absorbent than parchment even though they have similar natural fibers?

Question

Why are paper towels more absorbent than parchment even though they have similar natural fibers?

Answer 1

Depends on how the parchment papers are made - they are either dipped in acid to reduce the amont of loose fibers and rebond them better or wax coated or both. Remember, the basic ability to absorb water comes from two things: one is a material being hydrophilling (attracts water), second a lot of pores or gaps to suck and distribute water throughout the medium using capillary action. While the parchment paper (real parchment is not even cellulose - they are supposed to made by animal skin or fur) has the basic structure using cellulose fibers, a material and arrangement that promote water attraction and distribution, treating it with acid or wax reduces both attraction to water (wax is pretty hydrophobic - it doesn't like water and actually repels it) and reduces the gap and or pores in the medium so that there isn't enough space for the water to get distributed.