Our Guide To Your Best Bath Towel Yet
Whether you’re a shower person or a bath person, prefer to wash yourself morning or night, wash your hair once a week or once a day — there’s no underestimating just how good it is to wrap yourself in a warm, plush towel afterwards.
The simple joy this brings makes it worth your while to invest in the best bath towels Australia-wide…we’re talking about ours, of course. But how do you know what the best bath towel for your needs is? Not only is there style and colour to consider — it has to go with what’s already in your bathroom, of course — there are elements like texture and absorbency that you need to think about.
Then you’ve got fibres and fabrics to wrap your head around — Egyptian vs Turkish cotton bath towels? A thicker towel or one that’s more lightweight?
We know you have everyone’s needs to consider — but we want to make buying your best bath towel easier. So, we’re taking you through everything you need to know about how to choose good towels and introducing you to just a few of our favourite collections.
And the best thing about our bath towels — and why we’re confident in saying they’re some of the best bath towels in Australia — is the fact they’re tested well beyond industry standards. 100 times test washed, as opposed to the industry standard of three — we like to overachieve. So, when they’re in your hands — or up in your hair or drying you off — we know (and you now know too), that they’ll stand the test of time.
What is GSM and why is it important?
An easy acronym to get your head around — GSM stands for grams per square metre. Essentially, the density of a towel. For those of you who love maths, it's calculated by the number of threads in the height of the loop, and the thickness of the yarn in the given area.
The higher the GSM, the heavier the towel. This doesn’t mean that higher = better. In fact, it’s all about preference. If you want something lightweight and quick drying, go for a smaller gsm — a lighter towel, like Living Textures. If you love a towel with a bit of thickness to it, go for a higher gsm. Think our Ultimate Indulgence collection.
What fabric should I look for?
Fun fact: All our towel collections are crafted with cotton. Some, like our Eris Soft Luxury Collection, are blended with other fibres — like the notoriously soft TENCEL™ Lyocell (no guesses for how this collection got its name).
You’ll find that the same with most towels out there — using this plant-derived fibre results in soft and absorbent bathroom offerings, that are gentle against the skin. Who could resist?
But when there are multiple types of cotton to choose from — not only is there the age-old debate of Egyptian vs Turkish cotton (or even Australian cotton) when it comes to buying bath towels, but there are also towels made from processes like Hygro™ cotton.
Let’s break down exactly how to choose good towels by their fabric.
Egyptian Cotton
Egyptian cotton is considered to be a more superior cotton — a sentiment our Quality Team agrees with. However, at the end of the day, it’s all dependent on the quality of cotton. At Sheridan, we use certified Egyptian cotton with a high staple — a longer length fibre with greater tenacity, giving you more absorbency and strength.
If you’re looking for a towel with these qualities, we recommend our Luxury Egyptian Towel Collection, crafted with combed ring-spun certified Egyptian cotton pile. Translation: the cotton used for this collection has been brushed to remove short fibres, and the remaining fibres are tightly twisted — resulting in the softness you’ll feel in your hands, and a strong, more durable towel (which still boasts greater absorption).
Boasting greater absorption, they feature a classic border style design; a perfect accompaniment to any style of bathroom.
Turkish Cotton
And if you hop on a plane and head to Turkey, there you’ll find another quality cotton — Turkish cotton. Sourced from the Aegean region, Turkish cotton also boasts a longer length. And yes, that means greater absorbency and strength.
In fact, Egyptian cotton and Turkish cotton both exhibit similar benefits. If you’re wondering which one is better suited for you — it comes down to the feel you prefer.
Collections like Ultimate Indulgence, crafted from finely spun Turkish cotton pile, offer an incredibly plush hand-feel and a slightly heavier weight. Spa day from the comfort of your own home, anyone?
Hygro™ Cotton
Hygro™ cotton gets its name from the technology behind it — Hygro™ technology. A special spinning technique that captures water faster, it helps to increase the absorbency of the towels made from it — like our Living Textures Towel Collection and our Aven Australian Cotton Collection. Best of all? These bath towels still maintain a lavishly soft feel.
How often should I wash my towels?
After a hot shower or long bath, you step out feeling clean and fresh, practically like a new person. Then you reach for your towel hanging nearby — but wait a second, when was the last time you washed it?
If it was more than a week, we really recommend grabbing a clean towel. Why? Because even though you’ve soaped up (and then down) when you dry yourself with a towel, you’re transferring dead skin cells, water, bacteria and more onto its surface. And when you hang it back up to dry, that’s generally in a warm and damp environment — which invites more bacteria (unsurprisingly).
That’s why we recommend washing your towels weekly, at the least — and to have a second set to rotate with. The best bath towel in Australia, is a clean one. If you’re wondering about the best way to wash your bath towel, we can help you with our care guide.
Oh, and if you have a bath mat (please get one), wash it all on its own.