Thread the needle and knot both ends of the thread together, so you’re using a double thread stitch. Although the towel earned a perfect score in our absorbency test, we did find it took a bit longer to completely dry (around two hours) than some other options we tested. However, this tends to be standard for plusher, heavier towels. After following the care instructions, we appreciated just how well the product held up. The soft texture didn’t change post-wash, and the towel felt as good as new with no signs of wear. All you need is a little bit of twill tape or ribbon, your towel, some scissors, a marking tool, maybe a seam ripper, a ruler, and some needle and thread. You can sew this on by machine or hand sew it. A plush towel can provide a soft and luxurious feel when drying off after a steamy shower, allowing for a more comfortable and enjoyable experience compared to thinner, rougher towels. Southern Living’s Turkish Cotton & Modal Bath Towel boasts a fluffy and plush texture we couldn’t get enough of. ( Southern Living is owned by The Spruce’s parent company, Dotdash Meredith.) We also were impressed with its visually appealing design, which featured a decorative series of five double-welts on each end rather than the standard band. The loops seemed on and compact, and we found no visible imperfections upon arrival. This towel was definitely on the heavier side at 700 grams per square meter (GSM), which means it has a dense, sturdy construction.

Whereas flat cloth is normally woven with two threads (warp and weft) that sit at right angles to each other, ‘pile’ fabrics like carpets and towels involve a third thread. This extra thread is left loose, whilst the other two are kept taut: when the loose thread is pulled through the dense network of tight threads, it forms loops on either side. The resulting towel material is called terry cloth, a name that is said to have come from the French verbtirer, meaning ‘to pull’. You could also do this by hand! Here’s another variation of the same idea, but with a hand-sewn loop. Easy to Sew Towel Hanging Loops – Hand Sewn MethodThen there are bamboo towels, which are a great option for those looking to reduce their environmental impact. Whether they are 100 percent bamboo or a bamboo-cotton blend (like the Cozy Earth Premium Plush Bath Sheets), these towels are naturally antibacterial. Unfortunately, they are not as absorbent as other options and are usually high in price, too.

As you shop for towels, it’s important to know towels are categorized by their construction. Each types has its own set of strengths and weaknesses: Perhaps because of its familiarity and distinctive feel, towel also makes an appearance as an archetypal textured material in studies exploring people’s responses to tactile stimulation. For example, it is used in work with people with autism to identify sensory modulation dysfunction (when a person reacts in a seemingly disproportionate way to a non-noxious sensation like towel on the skin). Terry cloth is also used in desensitization therapies as a way of helping people to adapt to and manage chronic pain after amputation, trauma or surgery. You’ll most commonly see towels made from cotton, thanks to its impressive absorbency and softness. There are several types of cotton towels available, including Egyptian cotton, Turkish cotton, organic cotton, Supima cotton, and more. Egyptian and Turkish cotton towels are the most high-end types you can buy. They are both typically made from long-staple fibers, so they are super soft and absorbent—our softest bath towel, the Restoration Hardware Ultra-Soft Turkish Towel Set, is made from 100 percent long-staple Turkish cotton. Just note that Egyptian and Turkish cotton towels also often carry higher price points than towels made from other materials. We tested this towel in our own homes for three months, and we still love it. The construction quality and absorbency are still excellent, especially compared to other similarly priced options. While not as soft as it was upon arrival, it’s still exceptionally plush. Other than that, the towel remains in excellent shape and has definitely become a favorite. This towel earned a perfect score in both the absorbency and drying time categories. It dried completely in just about an hour. After following the care instructions, this towel has held up exceptionally well, too. We noted that it looked brand-new after three washes. Additionally, we found the texture became a bit softer and fuzzier post-wash. We also love that the product is GOTS and Made Safe certified, meaning it’s made with organic cotton, in accordance with strict environmental and ethical standards. While it's on the pricey side and won't appeal to folks who love a super-plush towel, we love this lightweight, versatile towel.Depending on your schedule, bath towels are an item you’ll use nearly every day—so oftentimes, it’s worth it to splurge. Out of the dozens of towels we've tested, Boll & Branch’s Plush Bath Towel is one of our top choices for its quality construction, impressive performance, and thoughtful design. Made with organic long-staple cotton, these towels have a soft and plush feel you’ll appreciate use after use. Even after multiple runs through the washer and dryer, this towel continued to feel like a luxury product. A soft towel can enhance your bathroom routine, and Restoration Hardware's Ultra-Soft Turkish Towel provides a truly cozy experience. During lab testing, we were immediately impressed by the luxurious texture of this towel. This towel has maintained its softness and quality over the course of six months, as the color, tassels, texture, and stitching all look and feel great after regular use. However, we did notice that in terms of absorbency and drying time, this towel has fallen short over time. While we’re not sure why this towel changed, we do have doubts regarding its longevity. Waffle-weave towels, like The Citizenry Mara Organic Waffle Bath Towel Set, are not as plush as your standard terrycloth towel, but they are absorbent, lightweight, and fast-drying. These are characterized by a honeycomb pattern on the surface of the towel. Storage & organisation Furniture Textiles Kitchenware & tableware Kitchens Lighting Decoration Rugs, mats & flooring Beds & mattresses Baby & children Smart home Bathroom products Laundry & cleaning Plants & plant pots Home electronics Home improvement Outdoor living Food & beverages Christmas Shop Shop by room

Towels are some of our most intimate textiles, touching places that other textiles just don’t reach. This distinctive, plush and mildly abrasive fabric is one that most of us have experienced on a daily basis since childhood. But how well do we really know it? Absorbency is another important consideration when purchasing towels, but this factor is often hard to discern when you’re shopping in-store or online. There’s no way to measure a towel’s absorbency without trying it, but you can look for a few indicators that a towel will soak up plenty of water. It soaked up all the water in our lab testing, leading to a perfect absorbency score. You can hang it up to dry using the attached hook loop, and we loved that it only took 1.5 hours to fully dry during our lab testing. Rather than the standard band, this towel features a stitched logo on either end (on one side only), which reminds us of a high-end hotel towel. We did notice, however, that the towel's on the small side when compared with other towels we've tested.Note that in our lab and at-home tests, we tried out the bath sheet, which is much larger than the average bath towel. However, Lands’ End also offers a towel set, standard bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths in the same style to suit your preferences. For a lightweight and highly absorbent bath towel, you can’t go wrong with Coyuchi’s Mediterranean Organic Bath Towel. Like most Turkish bath towels, this product is thinner and less plush than your standard terrycloth towel. While we wouldn't necessarily describe it as super soft from the get-go, we don't think it feels scratchy or rough either. During our testing, we found this towel to have a high-quality construction. The surface features a small waffle weave construction that feels tight and sturdy, and the stitching and seams are smooth and even. Additionally, the towel has tightly twisted tassels at both ends for a stylish flair. The colors on our test towel looked bright, even, and saturated. There are some key performance differences associated with various towel weights that are important to factor into your purchasing decision. For instance, products with a low GSM typically dry faster but aren’t as absorbent. An example of this is a lightweight beach towel. On the other hand, heavy towels with a high GSM are the most absorbent and plush, but as such, they will take longer to dry.

Based on our lab tests, we think it's an upgrade from most everyday towels. Just keep in mind it has higher-maintenance care instructions than some other towels. The manufacturer recommends machine washing on the gentle cycle with cold water and a mild detergent, then tumble drying on low and taking it out of the dryer right when the cycle ends. You'll also want to skip fabric softeners and bleach to maintain its softness and absorbency. The brand indicates that certain skincare products may also affect the towel, including those with benzoyl peroxide. The tufted, looped fabric that we now take for granted has only beenaround in western Europe since about 1840.The method for making towels on hand looms was invented in Turkey, apparently as the accidental result of defective weaving. Manchester-based textile tycoon Henry Christy brought these fabrics to the UK in the mid 1800s, where he promptly copied and industrialised the manufacturing technique. Christy are still producing towels to this day, and are the main supplier to the Wimbledon tennis championships, where most are thrown into the crowd as sweaty mementos for eager fans.While many people don’t think about the fibers their towels are made from, this is one of the most important considerations, as fibers perform differently in terms of absorbance, softness, colorfastness, and durability. Plus, certain fibers are also more or less environmentally friendly depending on how they’re sourced, and this information may impact your choice if you’re working to reduce your carbon footprint. In terms of durability, it maintained the same texture after we washed and dried it. It passed our abrasion tests with flying colors, and we didn’t notice any snags or loose threads, proving the strength of the thread fibers. We applied foundation and mascara to the material, and both stains completely came out in the wash.