Professional Eco Expert

Best Organic Bath Towels & Best Organic Towels

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Is there anything better than stepping out of a shower and wrapping yourself in a big, cozy towel? Not when that towel is woven from organic cotton, using low-impact dyes but none of the nasty finishing agents you'll find on more conventional cotton products. Whether you're touching up with a soft and fluffy wash cloth or sashaying around in a body-length towel sheet, you'll enjoy not just the warmth but the extra absorbency the long fibers of organic cotton allow.

Unless otherwise noted, all towels reviewed come in four sizes: wash cloth, hand towel, bath towel, bath sheet. Browse around for matching bath mats and robes if you want to complete the set.

Best of the Best:

To make the “best of the best” list, towels needed to be “certified” organic cotton. Ideally, they'd be made according to fair trade labor practices, too; so far, only two brands fill that bill: Rawganique and Pure Rest. Still, many other brands are worth considering. Conventional cotton is one of the most water- and pesticide-intensive crops on earth. Organic cotton offers a welcome alternative, whether as a washcloth or a bath sheet.

The best organic bath towels offer a cozy wrap for after you shower or take a bath. These best organic towels are made of the softest cotton that easily absorbs water and offers a sustainable alternative.

Best Organic and Bamboo Towels by Diane MacEachern

The Best You Can Get

Certified Organic Cotton Bath Towels from Rawganique

Diane says: These extra-hefty, “spa-quality” towels are made from SKAL-certified organic cotton fiber. They weigh in at 700 grams per square meter, almost twice the density of conventional towels that run more like 200-400 grams per square meter. Another bonus: Rawganique's towels are 100% free from sweatshop, child, or under-aged labor. No chemicals or dyes ever come near these towels. They become more absorbent with use.
Pure Rest Organic Cotton Towels

Diane says: These plush certified organic cotton towels offer 675 grams per square meter, making them extra absorbent compared to conventional cotton towels. Woven according to fair trade labor practices, the towels are tinted using low-impact; water-based dyes that nevertheless are extremely color fast and will not bleed. The natural, white, blue, and rose towels come in all standards sizes.
Eileen Fisher Organic Cotton Towels

Diane says: Luxurious absorbent towels are woven with certified organic cotton and finished with a broad, stylish edge. Low-impact dyes create a soft color palette that includes Butter, Clay, and Rosewater. At their 600-gram weight, they're fluffier than standard conventional towels, as well as being more earth-friendly.
Purity Organic Towels

Diane says: Purity Organic Towels feature 100% organically grown cotton certified by SKAL International. No artificial softeners or “fabric performance enhances” are used in finishing the plush terry fabric. Wash it – over and over again – and watch it get more absorbent. Available only in white – but that may be all you need!
Organic Cotton Reversible Towels from West Elm

Diane says: These aren't your mother's towels. The certified organic cotton fabrics send a very chic message. They'd have to considering the color palette: Moonstone/Espresso, White/Fawn, and Copperplate/Espresso. No bath sheet available.

You will be happy with any of these

Gaiam Organic Cotton Towels

Diane says: Bath time can be the most peaceful time of the day, especially if a towel made from long staple, 100% organic cotton is waiting on the dry side of the tub. Low-impact dyes impart rich colors like Aqua, Cocoa, Kiwi, Sunlight, French Blue, Dove Grey, and Dusty Pink. Chlorine- and softener-free finishing preserves the purity and softness of the cotton.

For a more luxurious feel, try Gaiam's Organic Cotton Thick & Thirsty Towels. These 800-gram weight towels turn every shower and bath into a spa experience. Super-soft terry loops provide superior absorbency and a silky feel.
Studio Organic Cotton Towels and Bath from JCPenney Home Collection

Diane says: The soft, yarn-dyed dobby bath towel, hand towel and washcloth you'll find at JCPenney stores are all made with 100% organic cotton.
Extra-Plush Organic Cotton Towels and Mats from A Happy Planet

Diane says: If you want to slip right from the shower into bed, these oversized towels may provide just the cover you need. Weighing in at 900 grams per square meter, they're thick, absorbent and BIG. And the SKAL approved low-impact dyes nevertheless lend themselves to colors like Cream, Caramel, Aubergine, Lichen, and Raspberry. Yum!
EcoBathroom Hand-Loomed Organic Cotton Towel Collection

Diane says: Step back in time when you wrap yourself in towels hand-loomed in Turkey on 100-year old jacquard looms. Made from 100% Bergama organic cotton, the elegant 4-ply towels are plant and vegetable dyed.
Company Store Bamboo Towels

Diane says: The bamboo and cotton fibers in these blends complement each other perfectly. The cotton absorbs water fast, while the bamboo adds a sheen of silkiness to the fabric. There's an earth-friendly color for every mood, from Aqua Mist Blue and Lily Pad Green to Desert Mist Orange and Summer Melon Pink.