High and Dry: 13 Questions to Help You Choose the Right Bath Towel
Towels ain't towels any more – the selection is huge. So for a practical and blissful bathroom, here's how to pick the best towels
Buying or replacing towels is no longer as simple as grabbing ones that suit the colour of your bathroom and your budget. New materials and manufacturing techniques have made the range much wider – and the choice more difficult. So how do you decide which ones to spend your money on? Answering yes to any of these questions will help you make the right decision. I hope you find them absorbing.
CARE TIPS: Always cold wash new loop pile towels before use to remove loose fibres. The slight shrinkage that occurs tightens the weave and helps prevent snags. A good cotton loop pile towel lasts between 150 and 200 washes –enough to see most kids through the really grubby stage!
WHAT IS TERRY TOWELLING? This is a double-sided looped weave usually made from cotton, although sometimes the cotton loops are woven onto a polyester base, making the towel less absorbent. Check the label.
WHAT IS TERRY TOWELLING? This is a double-sided looped weave usually made from cotton, although sometimes the cotton loops are woven onto a polyester base, making the towel less absorbent. Check the label.
2. Do you have trouble drying your towels in the bathroom?
Drying towels is no problem with a heated towel rail, but if you prefer not to use one, or you have a poorly ventilated interior bathroom, fast-drying flat-weave towels are a great option. These are often called Turkish pestemals or hammam towels and are thin and very soft on the skin. Often 100 per cent organic Egyptian cotton, and occasionally bamboo or linen, they make an attractive addition to the bathroom, with their pretty stripes and fringed ends.
Drying towels is no problem with a heated towel rail, but if you prefer not to use one, or you have a poorly ventilated interior bathroom, fast-drying flat-weave towels are a great option. These are often called Turkish pestemals or hammam towels and are thin and very soft on the skin. Often 100 per cent organic Egyptian cotton, and occasionally bamboo or linen, they make an attractive addition to the bathroom, with their pretty stripes and fringed ends.
peshtemal
3. Do you live in a hot climate or spend time at the beach?
Turkish towels are go-to beach holiday, sports and hiking towels as they are light to pack and can double as baby wraps, sarongs, head scarves, tablecloths and even shadecloths.
CARE TIPS: Soak new cotton Turkish towels in cold water for 4-6 hours and then drip dry. This ‘ignites’ their absorbency. Continuing care only requires a lukewarm machine wash – no fabric softener or optical brightener – and line drying when possible, to extend their life.
DID YOU KNOW? Fabric softener is like hair conditioner for towels and is not recommended for Turkish towels or any towels for that matter. The waxy residue that makes towels feel and smell so nice actually reduces their absorbency.
Turkish towels are go-to beach holiday, sports and hiking towels as they are light to pack and can double as baby wraps, sarongs, head scarves, tablecloths and even shadecloths.
CARE TIPS: Soak new cotton Turkish towels in cold water for 4-6 hours and then drip dry. This ‘ignites’ their absorbency. Continuing care only requires a lukewarm machine wash – no fabric softener or optical brightener – and line drying when possible, to extend their life.
DID YOU KNOW? Fabric softener is like hair conditioner for towels and is not recommended for Turkish towels or any towels for that matter. The waxy residue that makes towels feel and smell so nice actually reduces their absorbency.
4. Is your bathroom pocket-sized?
You may have gathered I’m a fan of these towels. Turkish towels are fantastic for bathrooms with limited storage, as they fold or roll up small and require minimal space. These flat-weave cotton towels are also available as hand towels.
See how to make a small bathroom work for you
You may have gathered I’m a fan of these towels. Turkish towels are fantastic for bathrooms with limited storage, as they fold or roll up small and require minimal space. These flat-weave cotton towels are also available as hand towels.
See how to make a small bathroom work for you
5. Do you steam?
If you are lucky enough to have a fairytale Turkish-style bathroom like this one, with a steam room or sauna and all the trimmings, then Turkish towels are a must.
Read more about steam showers
If you are lucky enough to have a fairytale Turkish-style bathroom like this one, with a steam room or sauna and all the trimmings, then Turkish towels are a must.
Read more about steam showers
6. Do you love white towels, but hate when they turn grey?
There’s something about an all-white bathroom, and snowy white towels are a clean, cool way to complete an uncluttered look. That’s snowy – not off-grey or slightly beige. If you are prepared to give them some TLC, they’ll stay whiter for longer.
CARE TIPS: Here are eight points for both white and coloured towel care.
There’s something about an all-white bathroom, and snowy white towels are a clean, cool way to complete an uncluttered look. That’s snowy – not off-grey or slightly beige. If you are prepared to give them some TLC, they’ll stay whiter for longer.
CARE TIPS: Here are eight points for both white and coloured towel care.
- Don’t stockpile dirty towels in the laundry basket – wash promptly.
- Wash with other towels only.
- Avoid overloading the washing machine to prevent wear on fibres.
- Don’t use fabric softeners or optical brighteners.
- Halve the recommended dose of washing powder/detergent.
- Use a low-temperature setting on the machine.
- Sun-dry if you can. Fluff up briefly in the dryer, if desired.
- Avoid using bleach as it weakens towel fibres.
BONUS TIP: Make sure white towels are completely dry before folding and stacking to prevent discolouration and odours.
7. Do you love all things linen?
Linen loop pile towels are the crème de la crème of bath towels. Be warned – once you’ve used one, you’ll want them all the time. They are the no-rub towels – just blot your skin and long, thick loops wick the moisture away instantly. But wait, there’s more: quality linen towels last up to 30 years and feel better with every use. True, the upfront cost is high, but you’re buying a lasting bath time experience.
CARE TIPS: Here are three ways to care for your beautiful investment.
Linen loop pile towels are the crème de la crème of bath towels. Be warned – once you’ve used one, you’ll want them all the time. They are the no-rub towels – just blot your skin and long, thick loops wick the moisture away instantly. But wait, there’s more: quality linen towels last up to 30 years and feel better with every use. True, the upfront cost is high, but you’re buying a lasting bath time experience.
CARE TIPS: Here are three ways to care for your beautiful investment.
- Wash linen towels two or three times before using to remove excess fluff and activate their absorbency.
- To maintain their softness and prevent fibres becoming brittle, don’t dry linen towels till they’re bone-dry.
- As with all towels, don’t use fabric softeners or optical brighteners (which can fade colours).
8. Do you prioritise products that are kind to the planet?
Bamboo is the material du jour for everything from towels to kitchen wares and flooring. It’s a fast-growing, low-water-usage, easily propagated grass that grows in two months without pesticides. Claims are also made that it is hypoallergenic, antibacterial and more absorbent than cotton.
Bamboo towels feel very soft and don’t stiffen when line dried. They tend to snag, though, but these threads can be trimmed with no damage to the towel.
CARE TIPS: Recommended care for bamboo towels includes no bleach or blueing agents, optical brighteners or dry cleaning. Line dry or dry in the clothes dryer on a medium heat setting.
Read more on eco-friendly decorating
Bamboo is the material du jour for everything from towels to kitchen wares and flooring. It’s a fast-growing, low-water-usage, easily propagated grass that grows in two months without pesticides. Claims are also made that it is hypoallergenic, antibacterial and more absorbent than cotton.
Bamboo towels feel very soft and don’t stiffen when line dried. They tend to snag, though, but these threads can be trimmed with no damage to the towel.
CARE TIPS: Recommended care for bamboo towels includes no bleach or blueing agents, optical brighteners or dry cleaning. Line dry or dry in the clothes dryer on a medium heat setting.
Read more on eco-friendly decorating
9. Are you a stickler for absorbency?
I’ve recently discovered the cotton waffle towel – and I’m hooked. Waffle weave presents a larger surface area for water absorption and the ridges have a mild exfoliant action. They are particularly good as a hair towel, minimising the need for a hair dryer, and they dry quickly, too.
I’ve recently discovered the cotton waffle towel – and I’m hooked. Waffle weave presents a larger surface area for water absorption and the ridges have a mild exfoliant action. They are particularly good as a hair towel, minimising the need for a hair dryer, and they dry quickly, too.
10. Do you have lots of overnight guests?
Staying guests are a great incentive for us to get stuck into cleaning and decorating jobs we’ve been putting off. It’s also a reason to pretty up the guest quarters with fresh towels and toiletries. Keep a supply of good-looking towels for guests separate from your everyday stock, to prevent a last-minute laundering panic.
See how to give your guest rooms comfort and style
Staying guests are a great incentive for us to get stuck into cleaning and decorating jobs we’ve been putting off. It’s also a reason to pretty up the guest quarters with fresh towels and toiletries. Keep a supply of good-looking towels for guests separate from your everyday stock, to prevent a last-minute laundering panic.
See how to give your guest rooms comfort and style
11. Do you prefer a shower to a bath?
For many, a shower is invigorating, whereas a bath is calming, soporific and languid. Finishing a short sharp shower with a towel that stimulates circulation is one of the best wake-up calls you could have. All those Finns and Swedes can’t be wrong. I’ve searched high and low for ‘friction towels’ with no luck. (This is an official plea to Australian towel makers to produce these fabulous unbleached crunchy towels that exfoliate as they dry and pep you up after a shower). However, if like me you enjoy a bracing towel rub-down, line dry your towels until they are extra dry (or stiffer) – line drying firms up the fibres more than a clothes dryer does.
For many, a shower is invigorating, whereas a bath is calming, soporific and languid. Finishing a short sharp shower with a towel that stimulates circulation is one of the best wake-up calls you could have. All those Finns and Swedes can’t be wrong. I’ve searched high and low for ‘friction towels’ with no luck. (This is an official plea to Australian towel makers to produce these fabulous unbleached crunchy towels that exfoliate as they dry and pep you up after a shower). However, if like me you enjoy a bracing towel rub-down, line dry your towels until they are extra dry (or stiffer) – line drying firms up the fibres more than a clothes dryer does.
12. Does size matter?
If you run a bath rather than turn on the shower, a relaxing soak deserves the soothing touch of a thick and thirsty, super-size towel. There is something luxurious about stepping from your bath into the arms of the biggest bath sheet you can find.
If you’re a large 185cm-tall man with muscle to spare, you will also appreciate the larger bath sheet.
Although towel sizes vary, a standard towel is about 70cm x 140cm and a large bath sheet is 100cm x 170cm.
If you run a bath rather than turn on the shower, a relaxing soak deserves the soothing touch of a thick and thirsty, super-size towel. There is something luxurious about stepping from your bath into the arms of the biggest bath sheet you can find.
If you’re a large 185cm-tall man with muscle to spare, you will also appreciate the larger bath sheet.
Although towel sizes vary, a standard towel is about 70cm x 140cm and a large bath sheet is 100cm x 170cm.
13. Do you consider top-of-the-line towels money well spent?
Deluxe towels can cost upwards of $300, so they are definitely in the upper echelon of indulgences. If your bathroom is your very own private retreat and doesn’t become Chaos Central at bath time, get full enjoyment of your stunning adults-only towels by hanging them on the wall rather than storing them all in the linen closet. This also keeps the towels aired and odour-free.
BONUS TIP: As you will never use fabric softener on towels again, get the lovely aroma without the residue with a splash or two of scented linen water in the washing machine during the rinse cycle.
Deluxe towels can cost upwards of $300, so they are definitely in the upper echelon of indulgences. If your bathroom is your very own private retreat and doesn’t become Chaos Central at bath time, get full enjoyment of your stunning adults-only towels by hanging them on the wall rather than storing them all in the linen closet. This also keeps the towels aired and odour-free.
BONUS TIP: As you will never use fabric softener on towels again, get the lovely aroma without the residue with a splash or two of scented linen water in the washing machine during the rinse cycle.
High-end designers such as Missoni are moving into the towel market, bringing with them their hallmark bold patterns and colours, as seen here.
Take a look at these dreamy bathrooms to match your luxury towels
TELL US
What are your favourite towels to use? Let us know in the comments section.
MORE ON BATH TOWELS
Hang in There: Easy and Affordable DIY Tricks to Keep Bath Towels Handy
Don’t Throw in the Towel! Give Your Bath Towels Pride of Place
Take a look at these dreamy bathrooms to match your luxury towels
TELL US
What are your favourite towels to use? Let us know in the comments section.
MORE ON BATH TOWELS
Hang in There: Easy and Affordable DIY Tricks to Keep Bath Towels Handy
Don’t Throw in the Towel! Give Your Bath Towels Pride of Place
Loop pile cotton towels are the reliable workhorses of the revolving door family bathroom. They are the best choice for frequent use and there are many in the median price range. Their ultimate staying power will depend on their quality and how you care for them.
Cotton quality varies widely and makes a big difference to feel, absorbency, longevity and price. Egyptian cotton is prized for its extra long ‘staple’ which produces a long super-absorbent loop, and ‘Egyptian cotton’ on the label indicates a towel with durability. Loop density is a quality clue – sparsely-looped, short pile is less absorbent. A double row of stitching on hems also indicates a well-made towel.