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The choice of towels is very subjective: for every waffle lover, there are many people ready to argue about the merits of simple Turkish towels. However, there are some important properties: No matter the style, towels should absorb water, dry quickly, and remain soft after hundreds of washes. To find styles that are both beautiful and long-lasting, I interviewed 29 designers, hoteliers and store owners, and tested a few myself, to discover the textile company Baina’s plaid, favored by the founders and decorators of multidisciplinary design studios. It’s a mildew-resistant option that dries very quickly, can be used morning and evening, and can withstand years of “potty training failures.” If you’re looking to swap out quick-drying waffles for something super soft to wrap you up in when the weather gets cooler, or just want to spruce up your bathroom with fall colors, check out the 17 best towels below.
The most important quality of a towel is its ability to absorb moisture from the body while remaining soft and not getting wet. Water absorption is measured in GSM or grams per square meter of fabric. The higher the GSM, the thicker, softer and more absorbent the towel is. Good quality medium pile towels have a frequency range of 500 to 600 GSM, while most traditional terry towels on this list have a frequency range of 600 GSM or higher. Not all brands list GSM, but we’ve included it where possible.
Egyptian cotton has longer fibers, making it soft, plush and especially thirst resistant. Turkish cotton has shorter fibers, which means it’s lighter and dries faster than Egyptian cotton towels (though not as absorbent). The United States also grows Supima cotton, which has very long fibers without feeling too soft.
Over the past few years, towels with swirls, stripes, polka dots and other exaggerated prints from brands like Marimekko and Dusen Dusen Home have become popular. But of course, if your style leans toward the classic, it’s still easy to find super-soft white towels (as well as monogrammed towels with a polished finish).
Absorbency: Very high (820 GSM) | Material: 100% Turkish cotton, zero twist | Style: 12 colors.
Brooklinen Super-Plush towels have the highest GSM rating on this list (820), making them our favorite pick for their feel, absorbency, and price. Architectural designer Madelynn Ringo calls it “more like a robe than a towel…it’s incredibly absorbent and the thread is so strong it doesn’t snag.” extra lift Improves the overall feel of the towel. Instead of twisting, which causes a rough feel, the cotton fibers are twisted (hence the name “zero twist”), resulting in a softer feel. The brand sent me a set to try and I was in love with how soft, plush and luxurious it was. It absorbs moisture quickly and efficiently, but due to its thickness, it takes longer to dry than my other towels. This is a thick towel that feels very nice to the touch. I bought it in the now discontinued pink color, which is very vibrant even after washing, and I think the 12 colors that are still available, including two-tone black, eucalyptus and ocean, would be just as pretty. These are the towels I prepare for my guests.
If you’re looking for something just as stretchy but more affordable, consider Italic’s “Ultraplush” towel, which strategy writer Ambar Pardilla swears is “super luxurious.” Indeed, exactly the same way I imagine clouds to feel. She was sent a pair to test by a company that makes towels (and other products) in the same factories that luxury brands like Chanel and Calvin Klein have used in the past, but doesn’t charge designer prices. like the best thing you’ve ever used: “Soaks up bath water like a sponge” and “dries quickly after showering so wet items don’t get stuck in it or drip onto the carpet.” After months of weekly cleaning, Padilla said, “They’ve maintained their shape.” This towel costs 800 GSM, which is only 20 less than the Brooklinen above, and comes in a set of two for just $39.
The Lands’ End towel is made from American-grown Supima cotton, a favorite of Haand creative director Marc Warren. He said the bath towels’ sizes are “very soft, huge and can last hundreds of washes.” And it’s not just laundry detergent: “I have a baby and am a very messy person, and these have withstood several years of probably excessive wear and tear, including emergency cleaning after potty-training accidents.” “They’re thick and soft, making bathing very luxurious,” Warren says. If you’re unsure about what size to buy, Warren recommends bath towels, saying, “Once you start using them, you’ll never go back.”
Absorbency: very high (800 g/m²) | Material: 40% bamboo viscose, 60% cotton | Style: 8 colors.
Speaking of bath towels, if you want one that really hugs you, consider upgrading from a regular-sized towel to a flat sheet, which is usually about 50% larger than a standard towel. Strategy writer Latifa Miles swears by the Cozy Earth bath towels she was given as samples. “Right out of the box, they were noticeably heavy and felt like luxury spa towels,” she said, adding that their softness “felt like three regular soft towels folded together.” measuring 40 by 65 inches (the brand’s standard towels measure 30 by 58 inches): “As someone who is taller and curvier than regular towels, I love that the towels touch my calves and hug my entire body (especially my butt).” Although the towels are highly absorbent (GSM 800), “I don’t think they take very long to dry.” According to Myers, according to the introduction, they are made from a cotton and bamboo rayon blend that “stays soft.” and smooth even after washing and drying.” She and her fiancé love them so much that he, a “longtime towel snob,” insists on washing them so they can take turns putting them back. Additionally, she said, “They make me feel rich. I would give these towels to everyone.”
If you’re looking for a more affordable yet comfortable option, consider Target’s Casaluna bath towels, which strategy writer Tembe Denton-Hurst loves. It’s made from organic cotton, measures 65 x 33 inches, and has a medium plush feel (the product description lists a GSM range of 550 to 800), according to Denton-Hurst. She loves that it’s “very soft, durable, dries quickly” and washes well. But she added: “What surprised me the most was that it kept hugging my body and I knew a bath towel would do the job, but my standard towel felt like a hospital gown.” has a rich bronze color and is a fraction of the price of Cozy Earth ($20).
Spa-inspired Matouk Milagro towels are woven from long-staple Egyptian cotton with no twist, making them ultra-soft and durable. It’s both luxurious and effortless, and is a favorite of home director Meridith Baer and interior designer Ariel Okin; the latter says it will last for “years of use”, is washable and never leaves lint. Baer agrees: “I love their luxurious softness and durability—the softness lasts even with constant use and washing.” Baer also likes that they come in 23 vibrant colors. “The color scheme is perfect,” she said. “I love using blues, greens and yellows in my clients’ nurseries to create a playful atmosphere.”
Interior designer Rayman Boozer says he “always thinks about color first” when choosing towels. Lately, “Garnet Mountain seems to have all the perfect colors.” Made in Turkey, this thick towel comes in shades like melon and cornflower blue (pictured) and comes in a variety of sizes that you can mix and match.
If you prefer a thinner, lighter towel that still absorbs moisture, waffle towels like these from Hawkins are a great option. They’re a favorite of two designers, including furniture and lighting designer Lulu LaFortune, who says, “The more you wash this towel, the softer it becomes, like a vintage T-shirt.” ) Devin Shaffer, principal interior designer at Decorilla, says the towel is so comfortable that he often finds himself “lying in bed wrapped in it after a shower, dozing off.” (Although these materials have a lower GSM value of 370, the waffle weave makes them very absorbent.)
For a slightly less expensive, absorbent, and beautiful waffle towel, Strategist senior editor Winnie Young recommends Onsen bath towels. “Our family prefers things that are less fluffy and dry faster, and I’ve always loved the waffle braid because of its interesting texture,” she said, adding that waffles “are not something you stuff with plush towels.” She likes the spa’s “slightly rougher texture because it feels more absorbent and soothing as it dries.” And because they’re not as thick as terry towels, they dry faster, faster, and are “less susceptible to mildew and odor.” Young has owned them for four years and “they are in excellent shape, with no defects or obvious wear.”
Former Strategist writer Sanibel Chai says the towel dries so quickly that she can use it after her morning and evening showers, even in her tiny, damp bathroom. She adds that this is because the weave “simulates thickness. If you look closely, you can see the gaps between the pieces of towel because every other square is empty,” which means “normal.” towels are staggered. Therefore, only half of the fabric absorbs water.”
Quick-drying towels don’t have to be woven (like the bath culture option described above) or waffle (see below) to be effective. Senior Strategist Editor Crystal Martin firmly believes this terry style is the happy medium between ultra-comfy and too-sparse towels. “This is the perfect towel for people who don’t like super plush towels, and also for people who want to use a Turkish towel but know deep down that it’s too thin,” she says. What struck Martin most about the towel was its balance. “It’s very soft, has a very nice texture, and is very absorbent,” she says, but it “doesn’t dry out too long or get a musty smell.” “Something about the ribbing makes it lighter than regular cotton towels, but still soft. These are the best towels I’ve ever used.”
Absorbency: High | Material: 100% Long Staple Organic Cotton | Styles: 14 colors with border; Monogram
Interior designer Okin particularly likes this long-staple cotton towel, made in Portugal, with delicate piping around the edges. “They can be monogrammed, which I like,” she says. (Monograms cost an extra $10 each.) “I bought a set in blue. They are very soft and have a classic look.”
Turkish flat-weave towels are known for being lightweight, highly absorbent and extremely fast-drying, which is why Sabah shoe designer Mickey Ashmore prefers them. “There are a lot of cheap Turkish towels on the market – machine-made and digitally printed,” he said. “The Oddbird is woven from a premium cotton and linen blend; They get softer with every wash.”
Absorbency: very high (700 g/m²) | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Style: graphic, double-sided.
Towels with a Dusain pattern are a favorite of architecture critic Alexandra Lange. She says they’re “so plush, the colors last through multiple washes, and there’s something liberating about the fact that they don’t match anything in anyone’s bathroom.” Decorator Carrie Carrollo loves the two-tone style with narrow plaid trim at the ends, and I especially love the sunbath design in aqua and tangerine.
Publicist Caitlin Phillips says she’s never craved towels as long as they’re “big, thick and funky colors,” and she loves Autumn Sonata, a new startup based in Los Angeles and headquartered in Amsterdam. their “incredibly good colors,” “inky, mature (walnut, beige) and exceptionally smudge-resistant” (Phillips says she has “almost every style. I want even more.”) The collection is inspired by tie-dye weaving techniques, antique Japanese patterns and 19th century French jewelry. (Phillips said they were “in some ways reminiscent of Norwegian glazed pottery” or, as her boyfriend described it, “late geometry.”)
Senior editor Simone Kitchens first saw them on designer Katie Lockhart’s Instagram and was sent to test them out, as well as recommending them for their amazing patterns. “I love that you can use any combination and they all look good together,” says Kitchens, adding that they look especially good in a “super-minimalist tiled bathroom.” Both Phillips and Kitchens feature Ester, a navy and ecru print inspired by the traditional Katazome stenciling practice. As for the feel, Kitchens says the Portuguese-made towels are “extremely absorbent” and Phillips likes the fact that they’re “legally reversible.” I was also sent a couple to test and I agree that the patterns are very attractive, vibrant and just plain gorgeous. I will note that these towels are smaller and thinner on the sides (compared to the ultra-luxe Brooklinen, for example), but they are among the most absorbent towels I’ve tried. They also dry very quickly. Kitchens notes that they come with unique anti-pilling washing instructions: Before use, wash once with distilled vinegar or baking soda, then a second time with detergent. While they can be machine dried at low temperatures, the brand recommends drying them the same way Kitchens does to extend their life. After five months of use, they have become my favorite towels and still look just as beautiful even when I dry them on medium speed.
Absorbency: high (600 GSM) | Material: 100% organic cotton | Style: 10 styles including checkerboard, checkered, ribbed, striped, etc.
Nick Spain, founder of multidisciplinary design studio Arthur’s, is a fan of Melbourne brand Baina’s checkerboard towels, which are also sold in Ssense and Break stores. “While many brands are now using bright and bold throws, using this velvety brown color gives them a decadent, old-world vibe,” he says. Carollo also likes this dark color scheme. “Brown and black may not seem like an obvious color combination, especially for your bathroom, but they add just the right amount of whimsy,” she says. In addition to the checkered pattern, available in several colors such as Caper, Chalk, Paloma Sun and Ecru, Baina also makes a reversible bath towel with a mesh pattern and stitching. The brand also sent it to me as a sample. As is the case with other graphic designs. I found the towels to be thin to medium, I felt nice and thirsty. Despite its very large size, it is not heavy or bulky to use and dries fairly quickly. It also looks beautiful on a towel rack.
Absorbency: high (600 g/m²) | Material: 100% organic cotton | Styles: 14 solid colors, 11 stripes.
Some of our experts, including designer Beverly Nguyen, call this towel their favorite. The Copenhagen-based design studio offers 25 different solid color and stripe combinations. Laura Reilly of the Magasin trade newsletter has bath towels in Racing Green, a white towel with dark green stripes, and she likes to keep them in her laundry stash “in plain sight on open shelves.” She said they are “very stretchy, almost marshmallow-like.” Tekla sent me a sample of the Kodiak stripes (brown stripes) to test, and I was immediately struck by how the stripes were almost like thin stripes and were very narrow, making them very nice. The towel itself is very soft (softer than Baina), absorbs water very well and dries quickly.
• Leah Alexander, Founder of Beauty Is Aundant • Mickey Ashmore, Owner of Sabah • Meridith Baer, Owner of Meridith Baer Home • Siya Bahal, Independent Creative Producer • Jess Blumberg, Interior Designer, Dale Blumberg Interiors • Rayman Boozer, Principal Designer, Apartment 48 • Carrie Carrollo, Freelance Decorator • Tembe Denton-Hurst, Strategy Writer • Leanne Ford, Owner of Leanne Ford Interiors • Natalie Jordi, Co-Founder of Peter & Paul Hotel • Kelsey Keith, Editorial Director, Herman Miller • Simone Kitchens, Senior Strategy Editors • Lulu LaFortune, furniture and lighting designer • Alexandra Lange, design critic • Daniel Lantz, co-founder of Graf Lantz • Conway Liao, founder of Hudson Wilder • Crystal Martin, senior editor at Strategist • Latifah Miles, writer at Strategist • Beverly Nguyen, owner of Beverly’s • Ariel Okin, Founder of Ariel Okin Interiors • Ambar Pardilla, Strategist Writer • Caitlin Phillips, Publicist • Laura Reilly, Magasin Magazine Newsletter Editor • Tina Rich, Owner of Tina Rich Design • Madelynn Ringo, Creative Director of Ringo Studio • Sandeep Salter, Owner of Salter House • Devin Shaffer, Lead Merchandising Designer at Decorilla • Nick Spain, Founder of Arthur’s • Marc Warren, Creative Director at Haand • Alessandra Wood, VP of Fashion at Modsy • Vinny Young, Senior Editor at Strategist
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Post time: Nov-14-2023
