 | ||
| Your browser is not supported. | ||
|
Please browse our site using any of the following options:
| ||
Complete Guide To Choosing The Best Bath Towels
Step out of the steamy shower, wrap yourself in a soft, luxurious bath towel, and let its warmth embrace you. Bath towels are more than just functional necessities - they are essential to our daily routines, providing comfort, absorbency, and style. In this buying guide, we will dive into the world of bath towels, exploring their different types and sizes, from plush bath sheets to versatile hand towels, face washers and bath mats.
Whether you seek the outstanding quality of Sheridan bath towels or desire a complete towel collection to outfit your space, this guide will serve as your compass. Embark on a journey to discover the perfect bath towels, unravel laundering and care secrets, learn about different materials, and even explore how to coordinate them with your bathroom decor. Elevate your bathing experience and make informed decisions as we navigate the world of towels.
Quick Links
- Types of Bath Towels
- Bath Towel Sizes
- Towel Materials and Fabrics
- Understanding GSM in Towels
- How to Choose a Soft and Absorbent Towel
- Coordinating Towels With Your Bathroom Decor
- Towel Care and Maintenance
Types Of Bath Towels
The right bath towel is more than just fabric - it's the final touch of comfort and luxury in your daily routine. Each type of towel has a purpose, so it's important to choose wisely.
Bath Towels
A bath towel can be thought of as your traditional, everyday-sized towel. Used to dry your hair and body, they're the ideal size for easy folding and storage.
Bath Sheets
Bath sheets are larger than standard bath towels, providing generous coverage and ample space to wrap around the body. They offer enhanced comfort and are perfect for those who prefer a luxurious and enveloping towel experience.
Hand Towels
Hand towels serve multiple purposes in the bathroom, including drying your hands after washing. They can also be used for face drying, wiping countertops, or providing a convenient option for guests.
Face Washers
Face washers, also known as face cloths or washcloths, are small, square or rectangular pieces of fabric designed for facial cleansing. They are used to gently cleanse the face, remove dirt, oil, and makeup, and provide a refreshing and invigorating experience.
Bath Mats
Bath mats ensure safety by providing traction and preventing slips and falls on wet bathroom floors. They also enhance comfort, offering a cushioned surface to step on after a shower or bath.
Bath Towel Sizes
Choosing the right bath towel size is the secret to ultimate comfort and practicality. A perfectly sized towel provides full coverage for efficient drying and adds a touch of spa-like luxury to your routine.
What's The Difference Between A Bath Towel And A Bath Sheet?
The key difference lies in the generous size. A bath sheet is significantly bigger than a standard bath towel, typically measuring around 90x150cm or larger, compared to a towel, which is typically around 70x140cm. This extra fabric offers a full 'wrap-around' feel, enveloping you completely for spa-like comfort.
A standard bath towel is more compact, making it quicker to dry due to less bulk and easier to handle and store. Choose a bath sheet for indulgent coverage and a towel for practicality and efficient drying.
What Size Towel Is Best For Adults Or Kids?
For adults seeking the perfect balance of coverage and manageability, the best size is the standard bath towel. This size efficiently dries the body and is easy to store. For children, a dedicated kids' bath towel is typically smaller, making it lighter and easier for little hands to use.
However, a standard bath towel is still perfect for kids as well. Ultimately, both sizes provide excellent functionality for their intended user.
Towel Materials & Fabrics
The material of your towel is the heart of its experience - it dictates absorbency, softness, durability and drying speed. Choosing the right fabric ensures lasting comfort, prevents mildew and transforms your daily routine into a moment of luxury. From the breathable classics to innovative blends, the right choice elevates a simple dry into a truly pampering feel.
What Common Bath Towel Materials Are Available?
Cotton: The most popular fibre choice across the range of towel types is cotton. Known for its softness and breathability, cotton towels are a classic choice. They come in various grades, such as Egyptian cotton, offering exceptional absorbency and durability.
Microfibre: Microfibre towels are lightweight, quick-drying, and highly absorbent. They are an excellent option for travel or sports activities. It's also a popular fibre choice for bath mats.
Which Towel Material Is Considered The Softest
For the ultimate in towel luxury and softness, nothing compares to the plush feel of long-staple cotton. The most celebrated variety is Egyptian cotton, which is renowned for its long fibres that produce a uniquely lightweight, fast-drying and gently textured softness.
Which Towel Material Is The Most Absorbent?
When it comes to supreme absorbency, nothing surpasses high-quality Egyptian cotton. Its extra-long fibres create a dense yet lofty pile with more surface area to rapidly draw in and hold moisture, leaving you perfectly dry.
What Are The Best Towel Materials For Sensitive Skin Or Allergies?
For those with sensitive skin or allergies, your towel should be a sanctuary of softness, free from irritation. The best towel materials for sensitive skin or allergies are organic cotton and high-grade Egyptian cotton. These are superior choices for three key reasons. First, these materials are naturally hypoallergenic, meaning they are less likely to trigger allergic reactions or cause skin flare-ups. Second, their fibres are highly breathable, which is crucial for allowing skin to ventilate and preventing the damp, warm environment where bacteria can thrive.
Understanding GSM In Towels
When selecting your perfect towel, understanding GSM (grams per square metre) is crucial. It's the key indicator of density, which directly determines your towel's softness, absorbency and durability. A higher GSM rating means the towel is woven with more fibres per square inch. Think of it as a loftier, denser pile. This abundance of fibres creates that coveted plush, luxurious feel against your skin. Critically, GSM translates to absorbency.
What Does GSM Mean In Towels?
Standing for "grams per square metre", GSM is an indicator of towel weight, thickness and quality. A high GSM indicates a thick, dense and plush towel. Look for a minimum GSM 400 for everyday bath towels and bath sheets, or opt for 600 or more for a luxurious post-bathing experience.
What Is A Good GSM For Bath Towels?
For the perfect everyday bath towel, we recommend a GSM between 400-600. This range provides the ideal balance of reliable absorbency, comforting softness and a practical quick-drying time.
If you're seeking a true spa-like luxury, opt for a GSM from 600-900. This higher density means more fibres per square inch, resulting in a significantly plusher feel, exceptional softness, and superior moisture-holding capacity.
Does GSM Affect Softness, Absorbency & Drying Time?
When choosing a bath towel, GSM is your key to performance. A high GSM (600+) indicates a dense, plush pile of fibres, creating superior softness and absorbency as more loops trap moisture. It's a luxurious, spa-like experience. For a lighter, more practical towel, a medium GSM (400-600) offers a comfortable balance, but with a quicker drying time due to less bulk. Lower GSM bath towels dry fastest but feel thinner.
How To Choose A Soft & Absorbent Towel
A good quality towel is all about achieving the perfect balance of softness, superb absorbency and lasting durability. This combination is vital for both pampering your senses and maintaining skin comfort.
How Do You Choose A Soft & Absorbent Towel?
Choosing a soft and absorbent towel is mainly due to the towel's GSM. A high GSM, typically between 500-700, will provide a dense, plush pile that feels incredibly soft against the skin and has abundant loops to wick moisture away with high absorbency.
The best towels will have densely packed loops you can see and feel, along with reinforced, double-turned edges. These details are hallmarks of durable construction, ensuring your towel retains its luxurious plushness for years to come.
How Does The Weave Affect The Performance Of The Towel?
The weave of a towel is the hidden architect of its performance, directly dictating five key qualities: absorbency, drying time, texture, durability and lint production. Ultimately, the weave pattern of a towel determines how the fibres interact with water and wear, defining your bath towel's unique character and daily function.
Coordinating Towels With Your Bathroom Decor
GSM and material choice are the first things you want to consider when choosing the best towels for you and your family. However, the colour, style and pattern of your towels are also important factors to take into account. Vibrant colours can elevate your mood and they also play an important part in creating a coordinated aesthetic in your bathroom. Here are a few factors to weigh up when choosing the perfect bath towels to match your decor:
Towel Colour
Consider the existing colour scheme of your bathroom, including walls, tiles, and accessories. Opt for towels in complementary colours to create visual harmony, or make a bold statement with contrasting towel colours. Neutral options like white towels, grey towels, charcoal towels or cream towels are versatile and match various bathroom styles.
Patterned Towels
You can add an extra layer of visual interest to your bathroom by selecting patterns or prints that complement the overall aesthetic of your bathroom. Subtle patterns can add texture without overwhelming the space, while bold patterns can become a focal point. Ensure the pattern scale works well with the towel size and doesn't appear too busy.
Mixing & Matching Towels
For a cohesive look in your bathroom, a towel set with different sizes (bath towels, hand towels, face washers) in coordinating colours or patterns. Shopping for towel collections is a great way to ensure consistency in the look and feel of your bathroom decor. If you have a dedicated shelving unit or hanging space in your bathroom, experiment with arranging the towels in various ways: stacking, rolling, or folding can all create a stylish and unique look.
Combining Towels With Bathroom Accessories
Use towel racks, towel rails, or hooks that match the overall style of your bathroom for a cohesive look. You can also consider incorporating decorative accessories such as towel rings, trays, or baskets to elevate the towel display. Introduce complementary bathroom accessories like soap dispensers, toothbrush holders, bathroom tumblers or shower curtains to tie the overall look together. Our bathroom accessories buying guide covers all the essentials when it comes to styling and selecting your bathroom basics.
Towel Care & Maintenance
Correctly caring for your bath towels will ensure that they look after you and your family for a long time to come! Here are our key recommendations for washing and storing your towels - for more detailed information, be sure to check out our informative towel care guide for the best results.
How To Wash & Care For Bath Towels Properly
- To prevent your towels from accumulating musty odours - or worse, mildew growth - always hang towels to dry completely after each use, ensuring proper air circulation.
- Wash towels regularly and avoid leaving them damp for an extended period.
- Consider using a towel rack or towel rail that allows towels to hang freely.
- Fold towels neatly to minimise wrinkles and maximise storage space.
How Long Should Quality Bath Towels Last?
On average, correctly cared for bath towels and bath sheets should keep you cosy and dry for 2 to 3 years. Hand towels and face washers may not last as long due to more frequent usage - expect to see a lifespan of 1 to 2 years from your hand towels, and six months to one year for your face washers.
Shop Quality Bath Towels From Harris Scarfe
Choosing the softest, highest quality bath towels is easy with Harris Scarfe. Our huge selection of bathroom linen includes bath towels, bath mats, face washers, hand towels, and bath sheets from leading brands like Sheridan, Shaynna Blaze, Soren, Dri Glo, Elysian and many more, ensuring that you can find the perfect options to suit your needs and bathroom decor.
Find the best towels at competitive prices, making it super affordable to upgrade your bathing experience without compromising on quality. Harris Scarfe provides a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience, whether you prefer to shop online or in-store. Explore Harris Scarfe's informative bed, bath & home buying guides to find out everything you need to know when selecting the best bathroom supplies and homewares.
