Turkish towels are famous for their extremely softness, thickness and excellent capacity to be dried quickly. Ordinary bath towels have long and fluffy fibers and are comparatively thick but take a lot of time to dry once used. Turkish towels can be used from wiping off after a shower to laying them on the beach or taking them for a family holiday due to their ability to pack smaller and dry faster.
Almost all Turkish towels are produced from Turkish cotton, a long-staple fiber that is resilient, soft and long-lasting. We have also tested all types of bath towels in our Textiles Lab, the best quick-drying towels, best beach towels, and towels available on Amazon. For our most recent review, we bought and tested more than 70 bath towels, including several that boast Turkish cotton, for absorbency, dry time, washability and strength and supplied some of the towels to consumer testers.
While selection based on towel type seems to be relatively subjective, other factors such as absorbency, drying time and thickness do indeed influence general towel performance as well as ability to fulfill individual requirements.
Turkish towels are thinner than regular linen which makes them suitable for homes with little space for linen storage or for travelers looking for a perfect travel towel. They are collapsible to save space and can be easily rolled up while they do not compromise on absorbency. To have a clearer picture of just how absorbent and quick-drying these towels are we used some of the best Turkish towels available now taking into consideration size and weaving patterns.
Our top picks:
1
Best Overall Turkish Towel
Bosphorus Diamond Weave Turkish Towels
PROS
- Generous sizing
- Plush yet absorbent
- Durable, with no puckering or pilling
CONS
- Tassels tangle easily
Dimensions: 70’’ x 30’’ | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: 360 grams
For those in search of an all in one set of superior Turkish bath towels that are very lightweight, the Bosphorus Diamond Weave Turkish Towel Set has an outstanding quality and price point. Upon washing and drying this set of Turkish towels, we realized that they are not only stunningly colorful but also remarkably effective in terms of their thinness and absorbent quality. As to the other towels on our list, by and large, these are relatively luxurious for just an average Turkish towel.
Among all the things we tested, the material felt really awesome. These towels are soft and fluffy – holding them in the hand feels like holding a slightly heavier cotton bath towel, and therefore, are similar to our choice of the best option.
We have also appreciated the toughness of these towels after washing and wearing them. In washing these towels during our testing, the longer fibers helped that they do not pill, pucker, or shrink. Also, each of the towels is bigger than usual, which is perfect for a post-bath or shower; it is enough to cover up with one towel.
Still, it is necessary to point out that the tassels on the sides of the towels are likely to be untangled, and there is nothing one can do about it. It is a small but important point that should be mentioned before washing.
2
Best Value Turkish Towel
Wetcat Turkish Bath Towel
PROS
- Oversized
- 40 colors to choose from
- More than 8,600 five-star reviews
CONS
- Some reviewers wish they were more absorbent
Dimensions: 71″ x 38″ | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: Not listed
More than 10,000 Amazon buyers said this cheap towel can be used every day; the Turkish towel has an impressive five-star rating. Some people said that they use the towel in the shower and while sunbathing and that they can fold up the towel and take it with them to use as a blanket when they go to the park and as a sarong when going from the pool or the beach.
On the care aspect, we like that the cotton lightweight towel is pre-washed to minimize shrinkage during washing and that its thin structure makes it dry very fast as some of the online buyers pointed out while expressing their wish that the towels are more absorbent. They also note that whenever they use it as a beach towel, it is easy to remove sand on the fabric due to the flat woven nature of the product.
The towel comes in a dimension of 71” x 38”, and is perfect for draying off after a bath or simply laying on while sunbathing at the beach or by the pool. Since the towel comes in 40 different colors, there is always a color that will match your style and interiors.
3
Best Turkish Towel with Carrying Bag
Bay Laurel Turkish Beach Towel with Travel Bag
PROS
- Folds up compactly
- Sand shakes out easily
- Many color combinations to choose from
CONS
- Color may vary in person
- Thinner than other options
Dimensions: 39’’ x 71’’ | Material: 100 percent Turkish cotton | Weight: 400 grams
If you require a Turkish towel that can be used anywhere, then we recommend the Bay Laurel Turkish Beach Towel with Travel Bag. With this size and portability, it will be ideal for the beach, traveling, yoga, camping, among other activities that might be held outdoors. It conveniently arrives ready for the great outdoors in a travel bag also perfect for keeping your towel fresh or even for storing it after use before washing.
We also appreciate the variety in the options when it comes to colors as there are as many as 40 different combinations to choose from. This particular towel is large enough to be scaled at 71’’ x 39’’ inch, and it could effectively serve as a picnic or beach blanket. It also makes an excellent gift and is reasonably priced compared to some of the other towels featured here.
As with all other quality Turkish towels, it is very thin, highly absorbent, and dries quickly. Unfortunately, this towel comes missing care instructions, so be sure to check with the manufacturer’s website before the first wash. You may also want to know that the color may differ slightly from the color of the online catalog. However, if you want an affordable option that you can take anywhere it’s worth investing in it.
4
Best Turkish Towel on Amazon
Demmex Organic Turkish Cotton Beach & Bath Towel
PROS
- Great value
- Eye-catching weave
- Reviewers say cotton material is soft
CONS
- Takes longer to dry than other Turkish towels, according to reviewers
Dimensions: 36″ x 71″ | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: Not listed
Demmex’s Turkish towel is designed with an eye-catching diamond design and comes in over 30 color options. Reviewers state that the towels are affordable, and one says that they were so cozy and soft right out of the pack. The brand and users also note that the towels are so soft when used and that the absorbency gets better after the first wash.
It is thicker than some other Turkish towels, and according to the reviewers, it takes a little bit longer to dry after each use. The versatile towel is large enough to lay on and is just oversize for when you need to wrap yourself up after a shower. Some of the reviewers even prefer to use it as a shawl.
5
Best Turkish Beach Towel
Sand Cloud Turkish Beach Towel
PROS
- Oversized
- Sand shakes free easily
- Reviewers say they pack nicely
CONS
- Some reviewers experience snagging
Dimensions: 37″ x 69″ | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: 240 GSM
You should pack this oversized turkish cotton towel next time when you’re planning for a beach trip. It is large enough to stretch on the sand but is easily foldable, and that means that there will be ample space in your beach bag as well. Everyday beach towels with looped terrycloth construction retain sand but the material of the turkish towel has a flat woven structure that does not allow sand to penetrate the fibers and can be flicked off the surface when it’s time to go.
Despite unique features of the flat woven design, some customers complain that the towel easily gets snags. But if you want more fun patterns or character-themed designs, there are over thirty styles you can find on the brand’s official website. However, you can select an even extra large or XL to afford more space.
6
Best Lightweight TurkishTowel
Cacala Lightweight and Thin Turkish Towel
PROS
- Durable and super absorbent
- More substantial weight
- Thicker terrycloth fiber underside
CONS
- Thinner and less absorbent than other options
Dimensions: 37″ x 70″ | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: 285 GSM
The fact that these towels are produced from 100% Turkish cotton and are dyed with fade resistant dye, means these towels retain their vibrant colors even after they are washed. They have a 4.6-star average rating based on more than 4,063 customer feedbacks on Amazon.
7
Best Series Turkish Towel
Smyrna Turkish Cotton Original Series
PROS
- Fun color choices
- Comes prewashed
- Compact when packed
CONS
- Takes longer to dry
Dimensions: 37″ x 71″ | Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Weight: Not listed
This is a very large towel and the customer gives it 4.5-star average rating from over 6090 consumers on Amazon and it’s 37 inches by 71 inches wide. Moreover, they make you dry in a very short time and this towel is made out of 100% Turkish cotton and is multi-functional – a small sarong, a blanket for a picnic, a beautiful headscarf. This saves washing time since the towel comes pre-washed and can be used immediately after delivery.
How to select when shopping the best Turkish towels
When purchase the best Turkish cotton towel, there are several factors to bear in mind:
✔️ Size: Think about your intention if you will be using the towel to dry yourself after taking a shower or to just sunbath on the beach? Bath towels are usually of regular size measuring around 30 inch by 56 inches whereas the beach towels are bigger with sizes of 30” by 60” and above. If you want more coverage, you can choose the plus size styles that are larger in size.
✔️ Gram weight: The weight per square meter of any fabric i.e., its density in grams is called the gram weight or GSM. Higher GSM means that the towel is thicker and more luxurious, while a low GSM means that the towel is thin and will probably dry faster. Turkish cotton towels range between 300 to 500 GSM.
✔️ Care instructions: When purchasing your Turkish towel, look at the care label carefully so that you would know how to take care of it properly. Machine washing and drying are possible for most towels, but some brands require washing in cold water or low-temperature drying or even air-drying due to shrinkage or damage.
✔️ Organic certifications: The simplest method of understanding whether the towel is organic or not is to look for its GOTS – Global Organic Textile Standard certification. It prescribes many requirements for the total manufacturing process, not only for the cotton fibers themselves. In order to verify whether the chosen brand is certified, you can turn to the GOTS public database.
Are Turkish towels a best investment?
While Turkish towels can be slightly more expensive than traditional terry cloth towels, we believe the difference is justified. Turkish towels are compact and foldable which saves a lot of space on your clothes hangers and easily storable in your travel bags for vacations or any outdoor trip. Thinner woven Turkish toilet towels also dry very fast as well while thicker terrycloth styles do not. The flat structure also allows easy removal of sand or debris after using the towel at the beach or park.
Most of them are crafted from Turkish cotton which is a long-staple cotton that is soft, comfortable and long lasting. Towels which were identified as “Turkish cotton” have outperformed towels that were made from Egyptian and other types of cotton in our tests.
