The Complete Beach Towel Buying Guide: Materials, Sizes & Styles Explained
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Whether you're stocking up for a family vacation, outfitting a hotel pool deck, or looking for the perfect personalized gift, choosing the right beach towel matters more than most people think. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about materials, sizes, and styles so you can buy with confidence.
Understanding Beach Towel Materials
Cotton Terry
Terry cloth towels are the classic choice. Made with uncut loops of cotton yarn, terry towels are highly absorbent and soft. They're the workhorses of the towel world — ideal for poolside use, gym bags, and everyday drying. Our cotton terry beach towels come in weights ranging from lightweight (perfect for travel) to thick and plush.
Velour
Velour towels have the same terry loops on one side for absorbency, but the other side is sheared smooth for a velvety finish. This makes them ideal for printed designs because ink adheres beautifully to the smooth surface. If you want a towel that looks as good as it feels, velour is the way to go.
Jacquard
Jacquard-woven towels have patterns woven directly into the fabric rather than printed on top. This creates a subtle, textured design that won't fade with washing. These are premium towels that hold up beautifully over time.
Turkish / Hamam
Turkish hamam towels (also called peshtemals) are flat-woven, lightweight, and quick-drying. They're incredibly versatile — use them as a beach blanket, sarong, throw, or travel towel. Our hamam towels pack down small and dry fast, making them a favorite for travelers.
Choosing the Right Size
| Size | Best For | Our Options |
|---|---|---|
| 30" × 60" | Standard beach use, pool lounging, everyday | Shop 30×60 |
| 32" × 62" | Extra coverage, taller users | Shop 32×62 |
| 35" × 70" | Oversized luxury, lounge chair coverage | Shop 35×70 |
| 39" × 70" | Extra-large, resort-style | Shop 39×70 |
| 40" × 70" | Maximum coverage, sharing | Shop 40×70 |
Pro tip: If you're buying for a hotel, resort, or rental property, oversized towels (35×70 and above) make guests feel pampered without a huge cost increase per unit.
Cabana Stripes: The Timeless Classic
There's a reason cabana stripe towels never go out of style. Bold, colorful stripes look great on any beach or poolside, and they're easy to spot in a crowd. Our cabana stripe collection comes in multi-color packs — perfect for families where everyone wants their own color.
Printed vs. Solid: Which Should You Choose?
Printed towels are ideal for retail shops, souvenir stores, gift shops, and anyone who wants a towel that makes a statement. Our fiber reactive printed towels use a dyeing process where color bonds with the fiber, producing vibrant designs that hold up wash after wash.
Solid color towels are the go-to for hotels, spas, embroidery, and custom personalization. A clean white or solid-color towel is the ideal canvas for monograms and logos.
Buying in Bulk: What to Know
If you're purchasing for a business — hotel, resort, vacation rental, gym, spa, or retail store — buying by the case saves significantly. Most of our towels ship in cases of 12 or 24 pieces. Visit our Bulk & Wholesale collection for case pricing, or contact us for custom quotes on large orders.
The Bottom Line
The best beach towel depends on how you'll use it. For absorbency, go terry. For print quality, go velour. For travel, go hamam. For durability, go jacquard. And if you want it personalized with a name, monogram, or logo, we do that in-house at our Miami facility.