Towels are generally taken for granted in homes. They’re always there and are always part of a family's daily routine. It’s only when we visit a hotel or spa that we appreciate just how luxurious and comforting a good towel can be.
You can feel your body relax as you wrap an oversized and plush towel around you. However, not all towels are created equal. After this comprehensive guide, you'll never look at your bath or kitchen towel the same way again.
An Intro to Towels
A towel is made of a soft material that is both absorbent and not too heavy. Regardless of size, towels are usually used to dry you off after a shower, a swim from the pool, and any other time you need to be dried.
Sometimes it is used as a protective covering, for example, when you are changing in a public space. Towels are also used to make space for you to lie on, like on a beach.
Towel fabric is typically associated with Bursa, a city in Turkey - thus the term ‘Turkish towels.’
Turkish towels are made from woven linen or cotton called pestamel and are usually embroidered by hand. Conventionally, they are narrow but long enough to wrap around a body. These traditional absorbent towels are used in Turkish baths - even while wet, they remain lightweight and easy to use.
Today, towels go from plain to heavily embroidered and designed. There are more fabric choices, with most towels made from rayon, bamboo cloth, polyester, and microfiber.
Kinds of Towels Based on Size
Towels come in many sizes, and this dictates their primary use:
● The Wash Cloth
The smallest among the family of towels, these usually measure around 12” by 12” and can be typically found in washrooms and wash basins. And as the name suggests, it is used to dry your face and hands after cleaning up, brushing your teeth, or any minor task that requires drying.
This towel is also sometimes used as an accessory while cleansing and exfoliating your body, as a less abrasive alternative to body scrubs and loofahs.
● The Hand Towels
These 20" by 30" towels are typically seen in kitchens because their primary use is to dry your hands, wipe countertops. These towels are also standard in lavatories and washrooms because they can also be used to dry your face.
● The Bath Towel
This 30" by 56" towel is used for drying off your body after a shower or bath. A bath towel is used for both your hair and body, and is exceptionally absorbent.
● The Bath Sheet
Bath sheets are pretty massive, measuring around 40" by 70" and are used to dry off and wrap around your body after showering or taking a bath. If you want more coverage, then this bath sheet is for you.
Fabrics Used in Towels
Towels are expected to be comfortable and lightweight without compromising their capability to be as absorbent as possible. Usually, you get treated to the best towels when you are staying in a hotel.
You can have that same luxury towels in your home when you know what kind to get on your next shopping spree. There’s more to it than the softness, texture, and finish of the towels.
● Organic-Cotton Towels
These towels are customarily made from pure cotton in combed and long-staple twisted form. The material is grown to use the most diminutive carbon footprint possible with the use of eco-friendly methodologies.
Towels made of organic cotton are durable and soft. They also come in different colors that make them a perfect choice when you want to mix and match based on your interiors. Pure cotton towels are also designed to be durable, so you know that they will last for several years to come.
If you want to experience these absorbent terry towels, Sunday Citizen's towels are the closest you can get to that luxuriant, resort-like feel. This plush towels set of 2 bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths come in white, purple, stone, sand, and navy colors - all in subtle, minimalistic patterns that can easily match your rooms’ colors. Made In colombia with 100% combed, long-stable low twist cotton. Featuring OEKO-Tex® certified for chemical safety.
● Bamboo Bath Towels
Like organic cotton towels, these towels are also made of all-organic 100% bamboo.
Bamboo bath towels are known for their lushness, supple, and are incredibly absorbent. They are also antibacterial, thanks to the environment where bamboo is cultivated.
Usually, bamboo towels are crafted with a blend of cotton to achieve a much higher standard.
● Egyptian Cotton Bath Towels
Egyptian cotton towels are a crowd favorite mainly due to their absorbency and great quality. They often come in pretty, vibrant designs, and were a common export from the region for centuries.
The fibers in Egyptian cotton towels are incredibly long and are also well-known for their durability.
● Turkish Cotton Bath Towels
Sharing the same quality of extra-long cotton fibers, Turkish towels boast a distinct history that ranges back to the Ottoman Empire.
These towels are durable, tremendously soft, and quite fluffy. Despite constant wear and tear, Turkish cotton bath towels last a very long time. They can be reliable when it comes to soaking moisture because of their absorbent materials.
Back then, Turkish towels were made with luxurious embellishments. Today, Turkish cotton bath towels sport a minimalist, yet elegant design.
● Microfiber Bath Towels
Microfiber is the newest fabric on this list, and has quickly become a favorite amongst many for its unique properties as a towel material.
Microfiber towels are made from polyamide and polyester, following a 20 to 80 ratio. These towels are unbeatable at wicking moisture, while at the same time efficient in absorbing oil and getting rid of dirt and dust. As a result, they serve as excellent sports towels, or for wiping down surfaces like car panels and desks.
Your Personality Based on Your Towel Color
People often choose their towels based on how they look, with color being the most obvious factor.
While some people prefer to match a towel with the color of their furniture and walls, some simply pick a fabric in their preferred colors.
Your favorite colors say a lot about your character and personality traits. Similarly, the colors you dislike can signify the current mental state you’re in.
Here are the most common colors that people usually opt for when it comes to their towels:
- White: This goes with all kinds of bathroom and kitchen interiors. Hotels and restaurants typically opt for this color because it has a fresh and clean look. It might be essential and plain, but you can't go wrong with simple elegance. This is for straightforward, reliable people who like to get things done without dwelling on the details.
- Blue: Calming to the eyes and easy to match - towels that are colored blue indicate a calm and peace-loving personality. You believe in upholding the truth and will always be after what is right and just.
- Green: This refreshing color is an indication of safety and security. You enjoy nature, and have a strong affinity for the people and environments that you surround yourself with.
- Yellow: Bath towels in this hue automatically exude happiness and vibrance. People with yellow towels are those open to non-conventional ideas and are usually creative and outgoing.
- Red: It is very rare to have red towels. Red indicates a modern, bold, and fierce personality. Usually, red depicts passion and action. People who would prefer red towels want to stand out and be their own person - they value strength of character and are independent thinkers.
- Gray: A neutral color that is neither black nor white, gray towels indicate a pragmatic disposition that is detached, neutral, and free from becoming overly emotional. Lighter shades of gray are slightly more vibrant while darker shades lend more mystery and drama.
- Purple: Purple is traditionally recognized as a royal and rich color but it can also represent a free spirit that isn’t prone to conformity. Additionally, people who gravitate towards purple towels have an understated and alluring dignity that naturally draws people in.
- Beige: The color beige is derived from shades of grays, browns and yellows. Though not generally popular, it is a coveted hue in interior design and decoration. It is a balanced shade that is neither overly loud nor bereft of color. Beige towels add a sense of neutrality and calm to any bathroom.
Afterthoughts
If you are still searching for the best towels and are still asking what the best type of towel is – the answer heavily relies on personal preference.
Fortunately, this quick primer has given you a solid idea of the sizes, materials, and colors to choose from - you’ll never again take your choice of towels for granted.
