Tips on Towels via Good Housekeeping.com

These Micro-Cotton Towels by Suite Collection at Bed Bath and Beyond come in great colours and stay soft and fluffy thru many washings. We love the generously sized bath sheet.

Summertime is when we usually think about buying new towels. But how to find ones that are the fluffiest and the softest? Some helpful tips we discovered while surfing Good Housekeeping plus some ideas on what to do with your old towels, after the jump...

Don't judge a towel by its in-store softness. Most manufacturers add softeners to the finish so towels will feel nice and velvety in the store. After a few washings, you may end up with a rougher towel than you had bargained for.
For enduring coziness, check the tag for 100% combed cotton. Cotton fibers naturally attract water, and can hold almost 25 times its weight in the liquid. Combed cotton ensures that the shorter threads have been removed, keeping the towel strong and preventing pilling.
Inspect the stitch for thick, tightly packed loops. The denser the loops, the more absorbent your towel will be. If you can see the base of the towel, it's bunk.
Don't just twiddle the towel on the shelf — pick it up! A high-quality towel will feel heavier than it looks, proving that it's packing more volume for absorbency.
Double-turned edges with double stitching are the key to durability. This reinforcement reduces fraying, which will give your towels a long, thirsty life.

And use your old ones:

As your beach blanket; roll another one up for a pillow.
To protect your legs from broiling after your car's been left for the afternoon in the hot sun
Tear them up into squares and use them for dusting or "swiffering" your home
Ronate them to your local animal shelter to be used as a pet bed
Roll them up and place them in a basket by the door to be used to wipe off feet dirty from sand and flip flops

If there isn't a local shelter/rescue, you can usually donate them to your vet's office for use in the recovery cages.

posted by Dusa on June 13th 2008 at 8:42am
view Dusa's profile

I have to say I've been really happy with the soft and fluffy nature of the thomas o brien towels from target. lots of washings and still like new!

posted by laure on June 13th 2008 at 9:02am
view laure's profile

I recently bought the Landsend bamboo/cotton towels. The first time I used one I got back in the shower and got wet again, just to dry off. I love them. LOVE THEM.

posted by nikkicole on June 13th 2008 at 9:21am
view nikkicole's profile

The Thomas O Brien towels from Target are heavenly, and don't seem to ever lose their softness. My only minor complaint is that they don't seem to sop up water quite as well and so it takes maybe an extra minute to dry off in the morning, but it's a trade off I'll deal with.

posted by stevie on June 13th 2008 at 10:44am
view stevie's profile

Am I the only person who likes towels a little rough? I think they get you drier and a little light abrasion is refreshing on the skin.

posted by Trilobyte on June 13th 2008 at 11:02am
view Trilobyte's profile

No, Trilobyte, you're not the only one. And while I love the thicker, fluffier towels I have, the thinner ones dry better in my tiny, nearly airless, bathroom.

posted by pvett on June 13th 2008 at 11:38am
view pvett's profile

I third the suggestion to donate the old ones to a shelter, rescue group, or vet. They always need things like that.

posted by Pixie on June 13th 2008 at 4:57pm
view Pixie's profile

I, too, love the Thomas O'Brien towels. We had to replace all our brown ones with white ones, though... some mystery product we were using managed to put big pink bleached stains all over them! They are now cradling our framed photos in storage.

posted by Caitlinella on June 14th 2008 at 2:22am
view Caitlinella's profile

Thank you, your account has been registered.

We have sent an email to the address you registered with for verification purposes. Please use the link in the verification email to activate your account.

apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time