Best Bath Towels

Let’s talk towels. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to bath towels. What’s the difference between Turkish and Egyptian cotton? Why should you care about the construction of the cotton? What the heck is a GSM? Don’t worry—towel lingo can be a bit confusing but we’re breaking down the basics for you:

Yep, that’s right…the weight of your towel is actually super important! The weight affects the feel of the towel and determines the towel’s absorbency and how quickly it dries. Towel weight is measured in grams per square meter (GSM)—the higher the GSM the more dense the towel will be, meaning it will be more absorbent. Here’s a general key for defining GSMs:

• 400-500 GSM: This GSM range makes for the lightest weight towels. While the absorbency is low, they have a quicker dry time. Because of the low absorbency, this weight is mostly seen in hand towels, washcloths, or kitchen towels and is not ideal for a body or bath towel.
• 500-650 GSM: This range is medium weight, and is a typical weight for a bath towel. Its absorbency isn’t high but isn’t very low either, and it dries in a standard amount of time. Bath towels this weight are typically more budget-friendly, too.
• 750-950 GSM: This range is the heaviest, making it the most absorbent and the most luxurious. Think: the fluffiest, plushest, coziest bath towel of your dreams. However, given its weight and thickness, this means that it does have a longer dry time than the other two weights, but with the level of comfort provided, we think it’s well worth the wait (and weight ).

While of course hand towels and washcloths are smaller than bath towels, bath towels themselves come in different sizes, too! Depending on the type of coverage you’re looking for, there are a few standard sizes to choose from when picking your perfect bath towel:

• Bath towel: The standard size for a bath towel is approximately 27 in. x 52 in. This size is ideal for drying your body or wrapping up your wet hair after a shower or bath.
• Bath sheet: Bath sheets are larger and oversized to provide more coverage for wrapping around your body. Sheets typically size up at 35 in. x 60 in.

Just as not all bath towels are created the same, neither is cotton! There are a few different types of cotton bath towels are made from—each offers specific qualities that affect the bath towel’s feel, absorbency, price, and look.

• Turkish cotton: Turkish cotton is primarily sourced from—you guessed it—Turkey! This cotton is luxurious and thick thanks to its long fibers and dense loops of thread. Because of their density and level of comfort, Turkish cotton bath towels can often be found in hotels and spas. However, as we mentioned earlier because this towel weight is thicker and denser, it does take a while to dry than other types of cotton.
• Egyptian cotton: You’ve probably heard of Egyptian cotton sheets, but this luxurious and top-notch fabric is used for towels, too! Its longer high-quality fibers make it very absorbent and breathable.
• MicroCotton®: MicroCotton® is a trademarked type of cotton from India with longer loops for extra absorbency and a high-quality, plush feel without the expensive price tag.
• Supima cotton®: Supima® is a USA-based non-profit organization that uses U.S. grown American Pima cotton. Supima® is twice as strong as regular cotton, making for super resilient and durable bath towels. The extra-long fibers prevent pulling and tearing, increase softness, and even help retain the color of the towels through numerous washes.
• Bamboo cotton: Bamboo is not only softer and stronger than regular cotton, but this is the most sustainable option, too! Standard cotton, even those marked organic, can be processed with chemical pesticides, but bamboo is typically grown without the use of pesticides. Also, bamboo requires ⅓ amount of the water that it takes for cotton to grow and is a self-replenishing resource. On top of its sustainability, it makes for durable and soft fabric, making bath towels more absorbable and breathable.

• Combed: With combed cotton, the fabric is combed to remove shorter fibers and other debris. This combing process not only makes the fabric softer but also increases its durability and even prevents pilling.
• Ringspun: Ringspun cotton loops together long and short fibers for a smooth and strong feel and high absorbency.
• Twist: When a towel description mentions “twist,” it’s referring to how much of each thread loop is twisted. A higher twist can make a bath towel more durable, but a low twist (or sometimes called “zero-twist”), increases absorbency and has zero twists of yarn per square inch, making the bath towel super plush.

Regardless of the construction, be sure the towels you choose are stitched around the edges securely to avoid fraying!