I keep tripping over linen bath towels.
Online, not literally.
In my own house I’m tripping over regular cotton towels. Note to self: put towel hooks at height where kids can reach them.
It has me wondering, should I make the switch from cotton (terry cloth) towels to linen towels?
I know, I know. It’s a big question for a Monday. Real life changing stuff here.
Photo by Anthropologie – More bathroom photos
According to what I’ve read, linen bath towels are more absorbent than cotton towels.
They are faster drying, so no musty smells.
They take up less space.
They last longer – up to 30 years! Craziness.
Apparently, linen towels get softer and better with age too.
Kind of like me a nice pair of blue jeans.
But!
There’s always a but.
Linen towels aren’t anywhere near as plush as terry towels. I think it would be akin to toweling off with a tablecloth.
They also are more expensive. Sometimes WAY more expensive. If linen towels truly last 30 years though, it seems like they would be a good deal in the long run.
I don’t know anyone who uses linen towels on the regular, but they are quite common in parts of Europe.
It makes sense knowing that many Europeans prefer to air-dry their laundry. Regular cotton towels take FOREVER to air dry. Trust me, I’ve been experiencing this first-hand.
Many backpackers swear by linen towels too because of size, ability to dry quickly and resistance to smells.
I found this blog post by LinenMaven about the pros and cons of switching to linen to be helpful. I haven’t found any blog posts written by the cotton industry on this topic, but I only spent a cursory amount of time on the search.
Should I make the switch? Have any of you?
If you’ve known me for more than two minutes, you’ll know I have a frugal streak. I tend to think long and hard before spending money – especially on something like towels.
I also really, really like the feeling of wrapping up in a plush towel after a shower. It feels so luxurious. Although, I’ve been drying my towels on the radiator lately. On the plushness spectrum, my towels are a bit more on the sandpaper side of things. Exfoliation for the win!
Have any of you made the switch to linen towels? If I decide to go this route, I’ll be happy to share my experiences!
P.S. Here are some linen towels I found online, some through affiliate links:
(LinenMe Bath Towel
(Bless Linen Bath Towel
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