Buying Bath Towels: Are Turkish bath towels better?

If you’re looking around to replace your bath towels you might be as confused as I was a few months back. Whilst researching which regular cotton towels would be best for me and my family I came across Turkish bath towels. There are so many positive reports but are these towels really any good? Well here’s what I found out.

Most people that switch to Turkish bath towels find them better than regular bath towels. Benefits such as being super soft, quick drying and ultra absorbent are the main reasons why people prefer Turkish bath towels in addition to being eco-friendly.

By the way, if you are looking for information on how Turkish towels compare to other towels I wrote a couple of articles “Turkish Towel vs Microfiber: Which is the best” and “Turkish Towels vs Regular Towels, Which is best for you” which I’d encourage you to read next.

I also wrote an article on the “Best Turkish Bath Sheets” which I’d also suggest you look at after this.

There are so many benefits to Turkish Bath Towels it’s just hard to ignore them as a real alternative to regular cotton bath towels but if you’re still a little unsure as to whether to invest in these types of towels then let’s take a closer look at the advantages.

Turkish Bath Towels Dry in No Time

One of the great benefits of Turkish bath towels is that they dry really fast.

There’s a lot of science behind why this is but in short the fibres of Turkish cotton are very thin and very long. Once woven into fabric these fibres produce a lot of loops, many more than regular towels and it’s these loops that create a large surface area. The larger the surface area the quicker an item dries.

Fast drying time comes with a couple of key benefits for you.

1. Your Turkish bath towel will be ready for use again sooner
2. Your towel will stay clean and fresh for longer

Turkish towels are great for bathrooms that have little ventilation. Whereas a regular towel might stay damp and start to smell a little musty, Turkish towels avoid this due to their quick drying properties.

It’s worth noting that Turkish Towels make great gym/swimming towels for this reason alone.

We did a quick experiment – nothing scientific but we soaked both a regular and a Turkish towel and then hung them on the line to dry. Here are the drying time results:

Towel Type	Drying Time
Regular Cotton Towel	2 hours 35 minutes
Turkish Towel	1 hour 25 minutes

Available in a Large Choice of Designs

Many of us choose to simplify our home decor with plain walls and then use accessories to produce the design effect we are looking for. Our tastes vary significantly and so having a large range of colours and designs available in bath towels is critical.

It used to be the case that Turkish bath towels only came in a few colours and design was quite limited but in recent times manufacturers have really stepped up their game and are starting to produce some truly wonderful towels.

Whilst I think that you could probably get a regular cotton bath towel in any shade or colour Turkish towels now offer us not only a wide range of colours but also some truly lovely patterns.

Whether your bathroom has a traditional or contemporary vibe there will be a Turkish bath towel out there for you.

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Super Soft, Super Thin, Easy to Store

Another great benefit of the long thin fibres of Turkish cotton is that the pile of these types of towels is quite short.

Now I know what you might be thinking – short pile towels are not soft. But Turkish bath towels are just as soft as regular cotton towels and definitely softer than microfiber towels.

So due to this short pile Turkish bath towels take up way less space than regular towels so if you are restricted by space or like me, just love things to be super organised and look great even when stored away then these towels are perfect for you.

I took all three types of towels, Turkish, microfiber and cotton to see how they compared.

Each towel was the same size overall but when folded you can see a real difference.

Towel Type	Thickness Folded (cm/inch)
Microfiber Towel	3cm / 1.2 inches
Turkish Towel	5cm / 1.9 inches
Cotton Towel	9cm / 3.5 inches

Whilst the Turkish towel is much thinner than the cotton towel the microfiber towel is the thinnest but there is a trade-off. The microfiber towel has a very little pile and so does not feel as soft as the Turkish Towel.

One thing I really love is that they are especially good if you have open shelves as they not only serve a purpose as a bath towel but they can also add to the decor of the bathroom.

Turkish Bath Towels Last a Long Time

Turkish towels, whether they are bath towels, beach towels or hand towels last a long time if cared for correctly (more on caring for your towel later in this article).

You’ll need to make sure you’re buying an authentic Turkish bath towel as it’s the Turkish cotton, tight weave and quality craftmanship that make these towels incredibly durable no matter what they are used for.

I’ve had my bath towel for around 8 months now and it is still as good as it was when I bought it, still super soft and the colours are just as vibrant.

Simple to Care for

There is a rumour that Turkish bath towels can be difficult to care for so let’s run through some of the differences from regular cotton bath towels.

Please note that the information below is a general guide and that you should always follow the manufacturer care instructions provided with your towel.

So the key with Turkish bath towels is they need soaking for around 12 hours before first use. This removes any coating applied by the manufacturer but most importantly expands the fibres making them both super soft and absorbent.

For all subsequent washes simply wash at 30 degrees on the cotton setting with similar colours. When washing by hand or in the machine you should avoid fabric softener as this will reduce the absorbency.

These towels dry fast so you’ll not need to tumble dry which is good because most manufacturers recommend avoiding the tumble dryer altogether.

If you are not so keen on the air-dry look then feel free to iron on the cotton setting as you would any other type of towel.

By the way, you can find much more detail about how to care for these types of towels in my article “How to Wash Turkish Towels, our complete guide” which I’d encourage you to read if you are still unsure.

The Eco-Friendly Option for Bath Towels

This is the key benefit for me over and above regular and microfiber towels.

Turkish bath towels are eco-friendly in several ways. The majority of towels are made from sustainable organic Turkish cotton but please do check the label or description before buying just to make sure.

Eco-friendliness also comes from how and how often these bath towels need to be laundered. Caring for Turkish bath towels relies much less on resources such as fabric softener and the use of the tumble dryer. In addition, you won’t need to wash your towels as regularly, because they dry so fast they become dirty much less often.

One final point is that as they are so durable they literally will last you a lifetime which in the current throw-away society can only be a good thing.

Overall Turkish Bath Towels are a great option for those wanting to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

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