There is nothing better than stepping out of the bath or shower onto a beautifully soft bath mat and wrapping yourself in a luxurious fluffy towel. If you want to pamper yourself next time you have a soak, here’s how to choose the right type and weight of bath linen for you.

Towel Weights

As with bed linen, there are different weights of towels available. The weight of a towel is measured in gsm or grams per square metre. This measurement relates to the weight of the fabric woven into a square metre of towelling.

It is a common misunderstanding that the heavier the towel, the more absorbent it is. This is not the case. It is important to take into consideration the type of cotton used as well as the weight. The most common weights of towelling are as follows:

Lightweight Towels – 150-350gsm

Versatile and quick to launder, lightweight towels are often made with no pile. Woven from a thicker cotton to provide the extra surface area for absorbency, lightweight towels make excellent hand towels in bathrooms and kitchens.

Medium Weight Towels – 400-600gsm

Just as absorbent as heavy weight towels accept lighter, cooler and faster drying, this weight of towelling is a popular choice in family bathrooms.

Heavy Weight Towels – 700-900gsm

Warm and substantial, heavy weight towels are extra thick and luxurious. Generally more durable than a lightweight towel, they are great from bath towels and sheets.

Different types of cotton towelling

Cotton is a soft and fluffy fibre used for all manner of bed and bath linen. Naturally breathable and absorbent, it allows air and water to pass through the yarns for fast drying.

Egyptian Cotton

Recognised as one of the best quality cottons in the world, Egyptian Cotton is known for its strength, durability and soft, fluffy feel. Egyptian Cotton towels are typically made with a deep towelling pile from of twisted ‘yarn’ loops to provide a soft, warm and absorbent towel.

Turkish Cotton

Much like Egyptian Cotton, Turkish towelling is widely considered to be one of the best quality cottons in the world.

What size of towel do I need?

Towels come in a variety of different sizes to suit all your needs. A bath towel is a good size for children and guest bathrooms but maybe be a little small for your own use. Many people choose a bath sheet as it is bigger than a bath towel, wrapping round your body more easily. Below is a chart of standard towels in order of size to help you make a decision.

Size	Inches	Centimetres
Face Cloth	12×12	30×30
Hand Towel	20×36	50×90
Bath Towel	27×49	70×125
Bath Sheet	39×59	100×150
Jumbo Sheet	45×71	115×180

How to look after your towels

To achieve the maximum absorbency from your new towels it is important to wash them before use. This will ‘break them in’ and ensure that they are soft and fluffy.

As with the rest of your bed linen and clothing, it is important to wash coloured towels separately and with a special colour washing powder. This will help to ensure that the colours stay vibrant and bright. Avoid exposing dark towels to strong sunlight, bleaches, oils and face creams that contain benzoyl peroxide.

Keep white towels brilliantly white by washing them in a whites only load with a whitening washing powder.

If you want to tumble dry your towels, make sure to use textured dryer balls to make them extra soft and fluffy.