Getting out of the shower only to dry yourself with an old, rough towel certainly isn’t the ideal morning routine. After all, soft fluffy towels are often the only upside to getting out of a hot shower, so why does it seem so hard to keep them that way? The answer, of course, is multi-faceted but there are a few things to consider.

Caring for your towels

No matter what towels you buy, the way you care for them will play a huge role in how long they remain soft and fluffy. Overall, your best option is to follow the care instructions as accurately as possible, but there are a few other factors that we’ve found can help. 

Washing

When washing your towels, opt for natural, organic detergents over standard options. These are much gentler on fabrics as they don’t have the harsh chemicals that erode fabric fibres over time. And, despite their name, it’s best to avoid fabric softeners. These give your towels a silicone coating which will not only make them less absorbent, but, as it builds up over time, will also reduce fluffiness.

Drying

The way we dry our towels can have more of an impact on their texture than many realise. We recommend line drying away from direct sunlight. This will help preserve the vibrancy of the colours, keep your towels soft and is much less energy intensive than using a tumble dryer. Keep in mind that, while the fibres will initially be slightly firmer than if using the dryer, the heat from the bathroom will naturally soften them as you use the towel.

Quality 

Ultimately though, your towels are unlikely to stay soft for a long time if they’re not of good quality in the first place. This may be an upfront investment, but if you do look after them, they’ll last much longer than low quality towels and won’t need to be replaced nearly as often. To choose good quality towels, there are two primary things to consider: quality of the material and the weight.

We’ve found that most good quality towels are made from cotton. However, the type of cotton is important. Where multi-ply, short fibre cotton is susceptible to pilling and shedding, long, single-ply cotton is much more durable and should be prioritised.

The density of a towel’s fibres will also influence how fluffy and soft they feel. Measured by GSM (grams per square metre), density generally ranges between 300 and 900 GSM. The higher the GSM, the more fabric that can be found in your towel. This means that towels with a higher GSM have a higher cost to produce but are also softer and last for longer if properly cared for. For long-lasting, soft bath towels, it’s best to aim for a high GSM between 600 and 900. Towels on the higher end of this spectrum between 800 and 900 GSM are often used in hotels, but for everyday use at home they can absorb too much water and be difficult to dry. 

At Loop Home, our towels are made from long staple, combed organic cotton and have a density of 650 GSM. We believe that this is the optimum mix of softness and absorbency for use in the home.

Re-Loop

No matter how well we look after them though, all towels will eventually wear down and become rough to touch. Unlike clothes, however, towels can’t simply go to the nearest op-shop for someone else to use. Which is why we developed our Re-Loop program. Through Re-Loop, our customers can return used Loop Home products and get 8% of their original purchase price back. These returns are then mechanically recycled and made into new products to be sold again. This means there are no wasted materials, and you can replace your towels guilt-free.