What Makes a Good Beach Towel?

Jan. 06, 2025

What Makes a Good Beach Towel?

When was the last time you bought a beach towel? Old towels can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and after a while, absorbency might not be as great as the day you bought them. Even if yours have withstood the test of time, it can be a good idea to restock this beach necessity.

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If you search for a beach towel online, however, the number of options that pop up can be overwhelming. Besides sizes and colors, there&#;s an array of fabrics to choose from. So to help you decide on the type that&#;s right for you, it may help to understand how efficient different materials can be.

If you&#;re looking for convenience, in particular, microfiber towels are often touted as being &#;sand-free&#; and tend to be thinner and less bulky than traditional terry cloth towels. Made from synthetics&#;typically a polyester-based blend&#;they&#;re known for their quick-dry qualities. That said, they might not feel all that comforting and can produce a clingy static effect.

&#;Microfiber towels are primarily used for kitchen, outdoor and industrial use, and not recommended for longer contact with skin,&#; says Kristy Staver, senior sourcing manager for home and accessories at Lands&#; End.

And there&#;s a big difference between materials that can absorb moisture and ones that wick it away. With wicking fabric, there will be a lingering feeling of wetness. Similar to activewear, which is designed to wick away moisture, polyester towels don&#;t actually absorb water.

Human skin tends to hold on to moisture unlike material surfaces such as flooring or glass, which repel it, says, Arya. So if the absorbent power of the towel material is not strong enough (which could be the case of polyesters and other synthetics) it becomes difficult to remove excess water from the skin.

Shop microfiber towels on Amazon, Target, Walmart

How a towel is woven is just as important as the material a towel is made of. There&#;s a zig-zag weave, where the one half of the twill weave goes in one direction and the other side is reversed. Then there&#;s broken twill, which happens when twill is reversed and broken at every two threads to make fabric stronger, and a waffle weave, also known as honeycomb, which has a series of recessed and raised squares that form a gridlike pattern.

The term &#;terry&#; indicates a type of weave that consists of extra-long uncut loops of cotton. So technically, the type of fiber used with a terry towel can differ, Arya says. Terry loops give the towel a plush feel and can vary by pile height (which indicates how tall these strands are) and density (measured by how close together the loops are). The higher the pile and the denser the loops, the more absorbent and thick a towel will be. Beyond that, there are varying types of terry towels. For example, a French terry towel is two-sided, with one surface that&#;s smooth and flat and the other side having a high pile.

Not all terry towels are made from cotton (some contain polyester) but the best beach towels are. That, in turn, makes them comfortable and lightweight options that are also very absorbent.

Shop terry cotton beach towels on Amazon, Target, Wayfair

This trendy style is thin and lightweight yet surprisingly absorbent, making it a prime contender vs. cotton for a beach towel. Made from a flatweave of long cotton fibers for a thinner form, Turkish towels, also known as Fouta or peshtemal towels, are a great alternative to bulkier options that employ a bigger loop weave.

For example, Lands&#; End&#;s Turkish towels are made from a single-ply yarn, which results in a lighter feel and a short pile for optimal performance. That said, these days it&#;s common to find hybrid versions of the classic Turkish towel, with a terry cloth backing for a smooth touch and increased absorbency.

Shop Turkish towels on Amazon, Macy&#;s

Thread count tends to carry weight when it comes to bedsheets, but for towels, it really depends on what you&#;re looking for in terms of style and durability. A towel&#;s GSM, or grams per square meter, is a measure of its density and weight, which also tends to indicate how absorbent it will be.

If you want to ensure absorbency and thickness, 600 GSM is ideal, Elks says, while a 400 GSM towel will have a quicker drying time with a more delicate look. &#;As long as the materials are high quality, you really can&#;t go wrong with either option in this range,&#; she says. In short, the lower the GSM, the lighter the towel will be and vice versa.

Generally, you&#;ll want something that&#;s soft and absorbent, yet able to dry relatively quickly, Elks says. It should also be able to withstand all of the elements that come with a waterfront setting&#;sun and sand included. But how you use the towel should also factor into your decision.

A Turkish towel may be great for poolside use or drying off after a dip in the ocean whereas its lightweight build might not lend itself well as a barrier against a sandy surface. So if you&#;re looking for a landing pad to lay out on at the beach, a thicker terry towel may be a better bet.

In that context, size is also important. Most beach towels will measure about 30&#; x 60&#;, but if you require a larger surface area (whether it&#;s for a post-swim wrap or simply lounging in the sand) larger format towels are available as well.

&#;Terry towels made from 100 percent cotton are the best,&#; says Arya. The terry weave is what gives the loop and the bulk to the fabric, which makes it plush. &#;When that is there, the construction and the fiber are both contributing to the absorption of the moisture or water from your body.&#;

What is Terry Cloth? (Materials, Colors & Projects)

What is terry cloth? It makes sense why we get asked this question on a regular basis &#;terry cloth is available in a wide range of weights and materials and one type can look and feel dramatically different from another.

This super-popular type of fabric is just about everywhere, and oftentimes many people use terry cloth on a daily basis without knowing its name. In its most simple form, terry cloth (also known as terry toweling), is a fabric covered in tiny loops designed to be both highly absorbent and soft to the touch. There are three main types of terry cloth, terry cloth (towel terry), French terry and terry velour, and we&#;ll describe each of these in more detail below.

Here at Shannon Fabrics, we&#;re probably known more for our wide-selection of ultra-soft minky fabrics, but terry cloth has been steadily gaining popularity amongst sewists and quilters and has quietly become one of our personal favorites. Of course this makes us a little biased, but it&#;s super durable, surprisingly versatile, and available in plenty of colors and weights &#; so what&#;s not to love?

READ MORE: What is Terry Cloth? (Material, Colors, & Projects)

Below we break down how terry cloth is made, common terry cloth materials, different colors and weights and some of our favorite terry cloth projects.

Now let&#;s get to the bottom of the &#;what is terry cloth fabric?&#; question.

For more microfiber terry stripe clothinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

What is Terry Cloth?

Terry cloth is pretty unique in terms of how it&#;s made. It&#;s a fabric that&#;s woven using two warp beams, comprised of the ground warp that creates the base fabric and the pile warp that creates the uncut loop piles that stand up on the base fabric.

Okay, okay &#; but what does that actually mean?

The pile warp is the secret sauce &#; it increases the surface area and makes terry cloth super absorbent, strong and soft to the touch.

READ MORE: Top 5 Terry Cloth Problems, Concerns & Solutions

This looped pile can be found at varying heights and densities depending on if you prefer a softer, more luxurious feel, or a less thick, breathable feel. Obviously, the higher the pile and denser the loops, the more absorbent it is.

But this is where terry cloth gets interesting &#; it&#;s actually stronger when wet. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense why it&#;s used anywhere from car washes to restaurants (and don&#;t forget at home as baby bibs and bath towels, too).

The woven design is one reason why it&#;s so strong and durable, but the material used is another. Terry cloth is almost always found as a cotton fabric, but note that sometimes it can be infused with silk, linen or other polyester fibers. Cotton is the only substrate that can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use when wet (and can impressively absorb over 20 times its weight).

READ MORE: Terry Cloth vs. Microfiber Fabric: A Side-By-Side Comparison

Cotton terry cloth is also usually the most affordable (and most available) option, and is made in a few different common varieties &#; terry cloth (towel terry), French terry and terry velour.

Terry Cloth (Towel Terry)

Towel terry is easily the most common type of terry cloth on the market. It&#;s what you reach for after your shower, and it&#;s used from anything from loungewear to baby products and more.

READ MORE: How Much Does Terry Cloth Cost? A Guide to Terry Cloth Prices

Towel terry features the woven techniques mentioned above, and it feels the same on both sides of the fabric. These loops are generally on the longer side, designed for maximum absorbency.

French Terry

Unlike towel terry, French terry has two distinct sides &#; one side is smooth and flat, and the other side has the classic &#;looped&#; terry feel. French terry cloth is often used in apparel, and can be found infused with spandex for a more athletic feel.

Terry Velour

Terry velour is similar to French terry in that one side is smooth and flat, and the other side feels similar to traditional terry cloth. Where it differs though, is that the smooth side of terry velour has a luxurious velvety look and feel, and is usually more plush than both towel terry and French terry.

READ MORE: 9 Best Sewing Projects and Uses for Terry Cloth Fabric

Terry Cloth Colors and Weights

With tons of color options and weights, terry cloth is about as versatile as fabric gets. While it&#;s easy to purchase based on color, it&#;s important to determine how the fabric will be used before purchasing.

READ MORE: The 5 Best Terry Cloth Wholesalers (Reviews/Ratings)

For example, if you&#;re using terry cloth to make bath towels and washcloths, then a heavier two-sided fabric with a long pile height might be a better option. Not only will it absorb tons of water, but it will be soft, warm and oh-so-cozy. If you&#;re planning on sewing a terry cloth garment, then a one-sided, less-plush fabric might be a better fit and feel.

As mentioned, terry cloth can be found in just about every imaginable color and pattern &#; it&#;s easily dyed and can even be digitally printed with custom designs. Here at Shannon Fabrics we have over a dozen solid color options in a variety of weights ranging from 10 ounces to 21 ounces.

Terry Cloth Sewing Projects

For most sewists, terry cloth is probably most closely associated with burp cloths and baby bibs. This makes sense &#; little ones need all the softness, durability and absorption fabric can offer. We&#;ve put together a free Cuddle® hooded towel and burp cloth pattern that&#;s great for the beach, pool or bath time.

READ MORE: 9 Best Sewing Projects and Uses for Minky Fabric

Other simple common terry cloth sewing projects include beach blankets, washcloths and bath and kitchen towels. If you&#;re looking for a bit more of a challenge, terry cloth is great for apparel, and works well as loungewear, beachwear and robes. And as shown in the burp cloth pattern above, terry cloth pairs nicely with other fabric types, including minky fabric.

While terry cloth can be used to sew a wide range of sewing projects, it&#;s especially popular among embroiderers. Monogrammed towels or spa products are always a fan favorite, and terry cloth can handle intricate embroidered designs and heavy threading &#; just make sure you use a topper!

Looking for More?

Terry cloth is one of those underrated fabrics that can do so much more than what it&#;s traditionally known for. Sure, there&#;s nothing better than a terry cloth towel straight out of the dryer after a warm shower, but feel free to get creative with it.

READ MORE:7 Must-Try Terry Cloth Sewing Tips

Terry cloth is durable, soft and absorbent, which makes it more-than-ideal for virtually endless applications. Better yet, caring for terry cloth couldn&#;t be easier. Simply wash with cool water on gentle and dry with low heat to prolong the life of the fabric and limit color fading.

For more information, please visit terry cloth fabric wholesale.

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