10 Easy Pieces: Editors’ Favorite Lightweight Cotton Towels

In deep winter, a blanket-like terry towel does have a certain appeal, but when polling our group of editors, we discovered that most of us—if not all—prefer a lightweight cotton towel for summer weather. Absorbency is paramount (fuzzy towels are often less absorbent, it turns out). Quick-drying properties are also useful, both for hanging after the bath and for easy washing. Bonus? Some double as beach towels.

Above: From Fan: “I myself am interested in trying out a thin waffle towel for the bath. I have waffle-knit kitchen towels that I love, and I’m curious how they would be as bath towels.” Her pick is the Supima Waffle Bath Towel from Onsen; $59 each. Above: From Margot: “Do I dare admit that I myself actually prefer the nubbly old thin cotton towels synonymous with hospitals and cheap motels? They’re much more absorbent than teddy bear-like plush towels and I like the exfoliating feel. When we were researching The Low Impact Home I was told that cotton used to have a different staple that made it more absorbent—which perhaps explains why I also prefer vintage cotton towels.” Her new pick? The Flax Line Organic Towels are made in Imabari, Japan in gauze cotton for unparalleled softness that is also absorbent; $78 for the compact bath towel at Rikumo. Above: Alexa’s top pick is Frama’s Light Towel, a cotton-linen blend in Bone White, Pale Yellow (shown), Sage Green, and Burnt Orange (for the daring). “I first came across the towels hanging in all different sizes at the Frama Copenhagen store. They’re soft (but not too soft) and dry quickly on the peg. And I sort of like the military-issue-like tag visible on the front of the towel.” $85 for the bath towel. Above: Francesca likes the lightweight, oversized Striped Hand Towels from Blanche + Mimi ($30). For a bath towel, her pick is the organic Turkish terry towels from Hammam Chic weighing 480 GSM (grams per square meter); $75. Above: From Annie: “There’s nothing worse than a plush towel that doesn’t do its job—to me, anyways. I liked a set from Ikea a few years back that exceeded expectations: they were lightweight but sturdy, a little rough, quick-drying, and they had a hanging loop. The current Vågsjön Bath Towels seem most similar. In white, obviously, for easy washing—and at a price that allows for guilt-free replacing when needed.” Above: Julie likes the Plage Towel from Bembien (“my sister has some and they’re great,” she says), a lightweight (300 GSM) European towel in organic cotton that is just as good for the beach as it is for the bath. Above: Alexa adds: “A lightweight towel I’ve been eyeing in the realm of waffle knits is the 100-percent cotton Waffle Towel from Swedish brand Midnatt; €50 for the bath towel.” Above: “I recently stayed in a friend’s wonderful, newly-built house in the Berkshires,” says Margot. “I loved her waffle towels, which turn out to be Onsen Towel ($59) and Casaluna from Target ($15 for the bath towel size). I think I used the latter and thought they were good!” Above: A longtime Remodelista (and Remodelista reader) favorite is the Air Weight Organic Towels from Coyuchi. They’re a little more robust than some of our other picks at 550 GMS but remain quick-drying and absorbent. $48 for the bath towel and available in a range of colors at Coyuchi. Above: Another lightweight-but-terry option is the Mild Bath Towel from The Organic Company made in organic, 500 GSM cotton. The towels are designed as “good lint-free long-lasting towels”; $61.18 at The Organic Company.

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