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If you are looking for a soft, durable, lightweight, and quick-drying towel, consider a Turkish towel. They are made from Turkish cotton, a long-staple fiber known for its softness and durability.
“If you want a towel that feels luxurious, Turkish cotton is a great choice,” says Karen Buscemi, president and CEO of Detroit Sewing Company. “They’re super soft and won’t irritate your skin like some towel fabrics. They’re also very durable, so you can count on them to last a long time.”
According to Buscemi, Turkish towels are more absorbent than regular cotton bath towels, but not as absorbent as Egyptian cotton towels. While both types of towels are considered luxurious, Turkish towels are not as soft as Egyptian cotton towels. However, Turkish towels are lightweight and dry faster.
To help you choose the best Turkish towel, we researched and tested nearly 100 towels to compare their quality, absorbency, durability, and cost. More information on how we test Turkish towels can be found below in our testing process.
This towel combines the lightness of a Turkish towel with the softness of a traditional cotton towel.
For those who want a complete bathing set, we recommend the Serena & Lily Fouta Bath Collection. This bath towel set includes two washcloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels, so you have everything you need for your bathroom.
When we unpacked this towel, we were impressed by its elegant appearance and found no seam defects or flaws. It is softer and more comfortable than other Turkish towels we tested and weighs 420 g/m². It is not the heaviest towel on our list, but it is not the lightest either.
One side of the towel has a Turkish weave, while the other side is more like a traditional cotton towel. When we used this towel to dry our hands, we noticed that the striped side (Turkish weave) required several wipes to completely dry our hands. However, the softer side of the traditional cotton towel was enough to dry our hands with one wipe.
After washing, the towel held up very well, with no snags or loose threads. Due to its high quality, this towel received a 5 out of 5 rating for durability and a top rating for value for money. This complete set will cover all your bathroom needs and performed well in our tests.
After testing our Turkish towel for six months, we were pleased with its durability. Despite weekly use and washing, it still looks and feels like new. We appreciate that it is lightweight, absorbs moisture well, and always dries quickly.
The towel we tested had a small blue stain that even stain remover couldn’t remove. But we weren’t bothered by it because the towels worked perfectly.
Product Details: Dimensions: Towel: 12″ x 12″; Hand Towel: 30″ x 20″; Bath Towel: 56″ x 30″ | Material: 100% Turkish Aegean Cotton | Weight: 420 gsm | Care: Machine wash warm, tumble dry low
GSM: The unit of measurement used to determine the weight of a towel. GSM stands for grams per square meter. The higher the GSM, the heavier, denser, and more absorbent the towel is. Our favorite Turkish towels weigh between 300 and 500 g/m².
Weave: The way the long-staple cotton of a Turkish towel is woven also affects the feel. The traditional style is flat-woven, making the product lightweight and breathable. However, to compensate for the lack of softness, some brands have started to weave the same fiber twice.
Although the mascara stain disappeared after washing, it reappeared after the towel was dipped in water.
Bath towels are larger than traditional bath towels, so if you’re looking for a towel with more surface area, a bath towel is a good choice. The Parachute Fouta Striped Towel is the largest towel on our list at 76 x 40 inches, and we really liked its extra coverage during our testing.
When we first took the towel out of the package, we really liked it: cream-colored with gray stripes. Apart from a few small snags in the fabric, the quality seems pretty good. However, the snag seems to be just a cosmetic issue – it doesn’t unravel when pulled, and it doesn’t get worse after using or washing the towel.
Like the towels from the Serena & Lily Fouta Bath Collection, we love that this towel is thin and soft. This bath towel is also known as a quick-dry towel, and we found that it really lives up to its name, drying completely in just an hour.
After washing the towels, we found that their quality had not changed. The foundation and mascara stains had completely disappeared from the towel, and after washing, we could not determine where the stains had been before. However, when we dipped the towel in water again to test its absorbency, we found that the mascara stain had mysteriously reappeared.
Overall, this is one of the best options we tested, thanks to its modern look, absorbency, quick drying, and the feel of both a Turkish towel and a traditional cotton towel.
When testing the towels at home, we often showered in the evening and touched the towel the next day to find it completely dry. After the first few washes, the towels may start to lose some lint, but even after a few weeks, the lint will stop falling out. Otherwise, we didn’t notice any noticeable changes in quality.
Product Details: Dimensions: 76 x 40 inches | Material: 100% Long Staple Turkish Cotton | Weight: 450 gsm | Care: Machine Wash
While not included in a bath set, the Serena & Lily Mallorca towel is one of the best Turkish beach towels we’ve tested, and we think it would also work great as a large single bath towel. After testing this towel, we gave it a 5 out of 5 for its quality and absorbency. The striped towels are available in seven colors, and you can buy them individually or in sets of four, eight, or twelve.
This 500gsm Turkish towel is a little heavier than others on our list, but that weight gives it a premium feel. Both sides of the towel are equally soft, and the striped pattern gives the towel a casual, beachy feel. We tested this towel in beach-like conditions and found that sand was easy to shake off without getting stuck in the fabric.
We also appreciated how absorbent this towel was, and our hands were completely dry after we dried them with the towel. After washing the towel, a few tassels came loose, but that was the case with several other Turkish towels we tested. Other than the tassel, the rest of the towel held up very well, and we didn’t notice any other loose threads or snags.
This luxurious Turkish towel is also OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, meaning it has been tested and is free of harmful chemicals.
Product Details: Dimensions: 70 x 40 inches | Material: 100% Turkish Aegean cotton | Weight: 500 gsm | Care: Machine wash warm, tumble dry low
In our testing, the Serena & Lily Fouta Bath Collection bath towels took our top spot thanks to their stylish stripes, lightweight construction, and quick-drying ability.
We tested 98 towels in our lab and in the field to find the best Turkish towels. We ran a series of tests to evaluate each towel’s absorbency, durability, stain resistance, and drying time. During our testing, we focused on several key aspects, including quality, size, weight, and care.
We check the quality of our towels by feeling each one for softness, noting any imperfections (like loose threads), and noting any decorative elements (like tassels). We also measured each towel before and after washing and noted any changes in texture, color, size, or quality after washing. We also recorded how long it took each towel to air dry.
To test absorbency, we first weighed each towel dry, then soaked the top half in 4 ounces of water and weighed again. To test durability, we brush the towels 50 times in quick back-and-forth motions and note any changes in the towel’s quality and texture, such as wear, rips, or fuzz.
We also tested each towel for stain resistance by applying foundation and mascara, then washing them with stain remover and letting them dry. To get the best value for money, we compared each towel’s price with its features.
During lab testing, we note the characteristics of each Turkish towel, as well as any noticeable defects such as loose threads or shrinkage. We also decide whether we would recommend each towel to our friends and family.
Turkish towels come in a variety of sizes, including standard bath towels, washcloths, hand towels, and washcloths. Most of the Turkish bath towels on our list are about 27 inches wide and 54 inches long, but the exact dimensions vary from towel to towel.
Bath towels, like the Parachute Fouta Striped Towel, are available in sizes up to 40 inches wide and 70 inches long. We recommend choosing pre-washed Turkish towels to prevent them from shrinking too much after washing and drying. The thinness of Turkish towels can be an advantage if you have limited closet space, says Buscemi. “You can buy more towels and store them easily,” she says.
Turkish towels are made from long-staple fibers that remain soft even after repeated washings. When purchasing Turkish towels, look for those made from 100% Turkish cotton, as these are generally the highest quality and most absorbent. Keep in mind that some Turkish towels are made from Turkish cotton and other materials, such as regular cotton or bamboo, which can change the look and texture of the towel.
Turkish cotton weight is measured in grams per square meter (GSM), which determines the quality, density, and softness of the cotton fiber. Generally, the higher the GSM, the more luxurious and soft the towel will be. The Turkish towels we tested ranged in weight from 300 to 500 g/m².
Be sure to follow specific washing instructions for your towels to ensure long-term quality. Most of the Turkish towels in our catalog are machine washable. “Because they’re so thin and dry quickly, they’re eco-friendly,” Buscemi said. For best results, most brands recommend washing the item on a gentle cycle with cold water and tumble drying on low.
Some brands also recommend air drying your towels to maintain their quality and softness. When washing Turkish towels, it’s best to avoid using harsh chemicals and detergents. “Don’t use fabric softener, as it will build up and reduce the absorbency of the towels,” says Buscemi.
The House No. 23 Handmade Turkish Beach Towel also shook sand off easily, but its absorbency was similar to the Kalkedon Turkish Towel, requiring several wipes to completely dry wet hands. Its ability to absorb water from a bowl was average, but not as impressive as other towels we tested. The tassels were a little frayed after washing, and we were concerned that the material would snag easily since it’s so thin. We feel that the high price doesn’t justify the poor quality and performance of this towel.
We initially chose the Coyuchi Mediterranean Organic Bath Towel as our top pick. However, after testing this Turkish towel for six months, we were not satisfied with it. While the towel’s softness and appearance remained unchanged, its drying ability quickly declined over time, and it was no longer dry by the time we showered again. For the price, we were disappointed by the change in quality.
The Cacala Pestemal 100% Cotton Turkish Bath Towel is similar in style to the Coyuchi Mediterranean Organic Bath Towel. It performed well at first, but by the end of our six-month testing period, we weren’t impressed. While the texture and appearance remained the same over the six months, we found that the towels were damp after drying and took a long time to dry. However, we also used it as a towel and found that it was better suited for drying hair than the body.
We always keep an eye on product launches and queue them up for future testing. While we haven’t had a chance to try these Aegean styles in our bathrooms yet, they certainly caught the eye of more than one editor.
When we think of a typical Turkish towel, the first thing that comes to mind is the Huckberry Turkish towel. The compact weave folds easily for travel, and the fringed edges give it that signature Turkish towel look. It looks like you bought it on a trip to the Aegean region. It is certainly an authentic example, considering that the towels are handwoven in Turkey.
We love the large size (40 x 70 inches) and, at 245gsm, it dries quickly, but we’re curious to see how it feels (though keep in mind that since it’s 100% Turkish cotton, it gets softer with each wash) and whether the colours are as vibrant in real life as they appear in the online photos.
Turkish towels are highly absorbent, and some become even more so after washing. “They’re thin, but incredibly absorbent,” Buscemi said. They’re highly absorbent, making them ideal for use after a bath, shower, or beach. To test a towel’s absorbency, wet a small section of the towel and see how quickly it dries.
Turkish and Egyptian towels are both great options for luxury bath towels, but depending on what you want from a towel, you may prefer one over the other. Both Turkish and Egyptian towels are made from extra-long fibers, which makes them soft and durable.
“Egyptian cotton is thicker, so it’s not as convenient to take with you when traveling, and it absorbs moisture better, meaning it doesn’t dry as quickly as Turkish cotton,” says Buscemi.
Turkish towels are ideal for the beach because they are sand-resistant. “Sand doesn’t stick to Turkish cotton, so it makes a great beach towel,” says Buscemi. “If you use them as a beach towel, they are lightweight, easy to fold, and dry quickly.”