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The Best Bath Towels for Your Home and Where to Buy Them

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Colored towels rolled up and stored.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Just because you can purchase towels almost everywhere these days doesn’t mean they are the best bath towels out there. We are all about quality over quantity so when it comes to purchasing products, we would rather purchase the best towels that will last for a long time instead of buying bath towels on sale every year or so.

Some towels are better suited for different occasions, as well. You wouldn’t want to have your house guests, or yourself for that matter, use your beach towels on a regular basis. You most certainly wouldn’t want to take your luxury spa towel to the beach either. Well, you could do those things but as we always say, use the right tool for the job.

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There are different towels for different situations and they were designed like that for a reason. Did you know there are different towel weights? They use the same system for measuring towels as they do for blankets and sheets. It’s a handy guide to have so you know what type of product you’re buying. We’ve put together this list of some of the best towel brands out there.

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Riley Spa Bath Towel Collection

Riley Spa towel bundle rolled on the counter.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

These bath towels really spruce up your bathroom. The bundle encompasses 17 pieces of 100% long-staple cotton made in Portugal, and includes regular-sized bath towels but also bath sheets. Weighing in at 700 GSM, these plush bath towels are durable and high-performance towels. They are also Certified Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex, which means that every thread of these towels has been tested for harmful chemicals and substances, assuring these products are not harmful.

Onsen Bath Sheet Set

Onsen Towel set folded and stacked on a shelf.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

These cotton bath towels are woven in a waffle pattern, making them amazingly lightweight but super absorbent. Supima cotton is spun into extra-long cotton fibers for a long-lasting fabric that gets better with time. You don’t have to worry about waiting for the towel to dry either; the open weave allows the towel to dry quickly. That means you can take a couple, maybe three showers a day and still not have a wet or musty towel. When you’re ready to launder your towels, just toss them into the machine and they’ll become even softer and develop an almost 3D texture. Oh, and did we mention these towels are also Oeko-Tex certified?

Madison Park Signature Towel Set

Madison Park Signature Towel Set stacked.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Need a spa day? Need to feel pampered? These Madison Park Signature towels will really spoil you. Made from luxurious 800 GSM cotton and finished with a Dupont Silvadur anti-microbial treatment. Adding to the anti-microbial treatment, these towels are Oeko-Tex certified so you know there are no harmful substances or chemicals. Dupont Silvadur is known for using sustainable technology to prevent odor and bacteria buildup. Each set includes two bath towels, two hand towels, and four washcloths.

Coyuchi Air Weight Organic Towels

Coyuchi Air Weight Organic Towels.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Coyuchi made their first towel from long loops of 100% pure organic cotton with a twill weave creating a texture that is conducive for a quick dry. These cotton towels are GOTS, Fair Trade, and Made Safe Certified. Made Safe is a nontoxic seal for products used on a daily basis that certifies there are no harmful ingredients or substances. Each set includes two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. All measuring in at 550 GSM and a bath mat at 900 GSM. These towels are built to last and will absorb a lot of water.

Lands’ End Supima Cotton Towels

lands end supima cotton towel set.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Combed Supima cotton makes these bath towels smooth and silky. When cotton is combed, it removes the shorter fibers and allows the extra-long cotton fibers to be spun into a thirsty towel that everyone will love. Every set includes two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. The bath towel sits at a 650 GSM. Never forget which towel is yours by getting them monogrammed!

Ralph Lauren Payton Towel Collection

Ralph Lauren Payton towel collection on a shelf.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If anyone knows textiles, it’s Ralph Lauren. Their Payton Towel Collection brings an air of spa-like luxury to your bathroom. The high loop construction of the cotton allows for a quick dry towel that absorbs water fast. These towels are not only Oeko-Tex Standard 100, but also Made in Green certified. Made in Green is a traceable product label for textiles and leather. It certifies that the products were manufactured in environmentally friendly facilities with safe and socially responsible working conditions. The set includes a bath towel, hand towel, washcloth, body sheet, and tub mat.

How to Choose the Right Towel

Choosing the right towel is more than just picking out your favorite color. Bath towels come in every size, color, fabric, and thickness. Towels are measured by Grams per Square Meter (GSM) and towels with 300-400 are thin and light, towels that are 450-600 weigh heavier and are much thicker. Luxury bath towels are anywhere from 700-900 and are very heavy, super absorbent, and very soft.

Lighter towels with a lower GSM and smaller loops or waffle weaves will dry faster and are usually a cotton blend or other fabric. Medium to heavy towels made from 100% cotton will have larger loops on the surface and will be very absorbent but will take longer to dry.

What to Look for in a Quality Towel

  1. Softness: Wash the towels a couple of times once you get them home. When you wash the towels before their first use, you make them softer and it removes any loose fibers that may be left from manufacturing.
  2. Absorbency: Do you want a fast-drying towel or a longer drying towel? Thinner towels are great for things like the gym or camping. Medium-thick towels are great for the home or the beach and super thick luxury towels are perfect for home use.
  3. Durability: 100% cotton, Turkish cotton, or Egyptian cotton are the most durable because of their longer fibers which also make them soft.

How to Fold a Bath Towel

How to fold a towel has been debated probably as long as which way is the correct way to replace toilet paper (the fold over in case you were wondering). Here are five ways to fold a towel:

  • The Tri-fold: fold the towel in half, then fold it in half again, then fold it in thirds.
  • The Deep Fold: fold: fold the towel in half, and then in half again, and then fold in half.
  • The Narrow Fold: Fold the towel in half length-wise, then fold in half, then fold the towel again meeting the edges.
  • The Roll: fold the towel in half and then roll. The tri-fold saves a lot of space but the roll saves even more.
  • The Decorative Fold: this one is for cruise ships and very talented people that excel in origami.

If you stick with The Tri-fold or The Roll and you can’t go wrong.

How Long Do Bath Towels Last?

Towels usually last between 2 and 5 years but vary according to the quality. If you notice tears, rips, or threading coming undone, or there is any sort of odor after washing then it’s definitely time to replace them.

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Joe Morales
Joe Morales
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joe Morales is a trained chef with over five years of experience working in fine dining and Michelin recommended restaurants…
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