How to pick the right towel?

Whether you are renovating your bathroom, change your old towels with a better and more comfortable one or buy it to gift it to a loved one, it is important to know how to select right towel for your needs considering wide product range in the market.

Different sizes for different uses

Towels come in a variety of sizes that you’ll want to consider before your purchase. 

Which fabric to chose

Material used in towel has the primary affect on the towel's durability, feel, and ability to retain its color due to the type of fibers used to produce the towel. 

Cotton: Cotton is the most common and most reliable material available for towels. Some of the best cotton towel types are Egyptian, Pima, and Turkish—these are champions on absorbency and comfort. 

Bamboo: Most often blended with cotton, bamboo towels are lush, soft, and retain color well. Bamboo plants are naturally anti-bacterial and their fibers are super absorbent. Since bamboo towels absorb and hold more water than cotton, they will also require more time to dry off before they can be used again. 

Microfiber:

These towels are a blend of polyester and polyamide fibers. It is a very absorbent material and has trends to dry quicker than 100% cotton towel. However there are still ongoing studies to understand the health and environmental risks of using micro-fiber towels since they can leave residual particles behind.

Weight - What is GSM?

GSM (grams per square meter) is a universal measuring unit for both cotton and bamboo towels and it is directly linked to its feel, performance and quality. 

It is possible to find in the market towels within the range 300-900 GSM. Higher GSM towels are softer and absorbent. On the other hand due to their density they are heavy, harder to dry and harder to use during travels, whereas lower GSM towels are not plush and not absorbent as desired where as they are easy to pack, carry and dry. 

• 300 to 400 GSM: Lightweight, thinner, coarser

• 400 to 600 GSM: Medium weight, soft and absorbent, good for bath or beach towels

• 700 to 900 GSM: Heavy, soft and absorbent, high-priced, luxury bath towel

It is important to find a good balance which may provide enough comfort and ease of use. Towels within the 550-650 GSM are able to provide the optimum balance with both luxery SPA towel feeling and comfortable lightweight.

Color and Style

Up to now we discussed and explained the functional aspects of the towel. But there is also another aspect that we should not overlook: Color and style. 

The towels are the jewels of your bathroom and similar to the cushions in your living room, they can add the warm, finishing touch to a bathroom, so consider selecting a stack in a fun accent color or pattern. Another option is to stock your cabinets with colors based on the season (i.e., bright beachy colors in spring/summer, cooler colors in fall/winter). The most classic choice is fluffy white or black towels, which look timeless and work with any style or setting.