Ever felt overwhelmed by choice when choosing new towels? With hundreds of sizes, textures and styles to pick from, but no clear direction or information of what towels best suit your style and needs?
The Rug Seller has got you covered. We have compiled the ultimate towel guide from our expertise of sourcing the best materials suited to each individual and sharing our knowledge from closely working with our suppliers who are leading experts in their fields – that have tried and tested how towels should really be cared for.
How are towels made?
Towels are spun from different fabrics made to fit different purposes. The most popular fabrics are:
- Cotton
- Flax fibres (Linen)
- Microfibers (Polyester)
- Wood fibres (Tencel)
The most commonly used material is Cotton, which can be found in most towels. There are several types of cotton, but the most important key to distinguish quality cotton is the fibre length of the cotton. The longer the fibre is, the higher quality the cotton will be as it will be the softest and most resilient fabric.
What is the best material?
The finest and most durable towels are made from Giza Egyptian Cotton. Known as the queen of Egyptian cotton, Giza Egyptian cotton is the rarest cotton fabric in the world, making for only 0,5% of the all Egyptian cotton that is grown. Cultivated in a small patch in the north east of the Nile river, Giza cotton owes its superiority to having extraordinarily long staple fibres that are the longest, thinnest and strongest quality grade cotton that are handpicked to retain its purity.
Using Long Staple Giza Egyptian cotton material, these towels are the softest and lightweight towels on the market with breathable and silk-like textures that hold intense deep dyes.
What factors should I consider when looking for new towels?
- Sizes and usage: One of the first factors you will need to consider is how many towels you need and what they will be used for. Naturally, face cloths, hand towels and smaller towels are better for smaller areas and larger towels like bath towels are better for larger areas like drying the whole body after a shower or a bath.
- Ensure your towels are pre-washed. The average towel typically shrinks by 10-15% after its first wash. Since this can completely alter the size, we recommend sourcing pre-washed towels like our Abyss & Habidecor products that are pre-washed to avoid shrinkage. This ensures the towels remain in their size and style as purchased.
- Style and Colour: The next thing to consider is personal style and the interior your towels will be surrounded with. If you are going for a muted spa like environment opt in for our classic colours like white, cream, greys and beige hues from Abyss & Habidecor and Bedeck of Belfast. If you want to add personality or a hint of colour include textured towels with patterns, bold prints and colours from the likes of Joules and Scion.
- Fabric: As discussed, fabric plays the biggest role in how soft and durable your towels will be. The composition is a determining factor in how soft and durable the fabric will be, as well as the price point.
A higher cotton composition will be longer lasting, but at a higher price point due to its quality and the labour intensity needed to carefully craft the best towels. Towels with higher polyester compositions will be cheaper because it requires less processing, but is not biodegradable and therefore not as environmentally friendly. They will not be soft and absorbent, but dries quicker so they can be a good option for smaller towels like a guest towel.
Our Customer’s top picks
Our growing brand selection includes customer favourites from Joules, Scion, Helena Springfield, Bedeck of Belfast, Clarissa Hult and our most recent supplier – Abyss & Habidecor.
Abyss & Habidecor is one of the world’s most exclusive towel and bath product manufacturers, specialising in creating the most luxurious and indulgent bath experience. Abyss was established as a small family business in North Portugal, and has been operating for over 40 years by dedicated artisans and craftsmen committed to produce the finest quality of giza egyptian cotton towels.
Amazin, Unexpected Guide, Interesting too… we actually need this atiquiet too