We’re taking shower performances to the next level with organic towels.
No, we’re not getting into the impact of that hot shower, but we are taking a deep dive into that thirsty towel you use to dry off with.
Which is most likely made of terry cloth—conventional cotton, that is (AKA one of the world’s dirtiest crops).
To make a single cotton t-shirt requires 2,168 gallons of water. Now consider how much more fabric is in a towel.
So what is the optimal natural and healthy material for towels then?
Organic cotton because (among other eco-attributes) it sips just 186 gallons and ensures your bath leaves both you and the planet squeaky clean.
And that’s exactly what these brands we’ve curated in this list use, along with ethical labor, responsible sourcing and low-impact dyes.
In the next few months, we’ll be rolling out a Brand Rating System, which will assess brands across 22 key factors, including their environmental impact and chemical use. Here’s our detailed explainer, if you’d like to know more.
We independently research all featured brands, and we ask them to confirm their claims. In many cases we personally review recommended products. This post contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you buy something. We explain this further in our Terms of Use.
Non-Toxic Bath Towels That Are Gentle On Your Skin (And The Planet)
Upgrade your towel game with Parachute’s organic cotton towel sets. They’re so soft and cleanly made that your regular towels will be jealous, but who cares about them anyway?
ettitude’s ethically manufactured bamboo towels tick all our boxes. Made using a closed-loop process, the fabric is OEKO-TEX certified, and we love how lightweight and absorbent the waffle weave is.
Index: The Best Organic Cotton Towels
- Parachute Jump to brand
- Coyuchi Jump to brand
- Delilah Home Jump to brand
- Ettitude Jump to brand
- Under The Canopy Jump to brand
Parachute
About Parachute
Price Range: $12–$467
Parachute’s vast catalog of towels gets things right in the sustainable home marketplace.
One of our favorites is the retro-inspired Organic Cotton Mosaic Towels that will take your bathroom back to the 70s in all the best ways.
Because not all of their plush towels are organic—some feature long-staple Turkish cotton in waffle, ribbed, and classic fluff styles—we recommend sticking to the organic towel sets.
Parachute’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Parachute’s organic hand towels and bath towels feature 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, but all towels in their lineup bear an OEKO-TEX certification, meaning they’re free of harmful chemical treatments.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Parachute partners with ethical manufacturers that share their values and commitments to the environment, like Fair Trade Certified sourcing partners that ensure safe working conditions and fair wages.
Partners that manufacture Parachute’s GOTS-certified items adhere to criteria from the ILO and UNGP Guiding Principles (UNGP).
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Parachute is Climate Neutral Certified and offsets its carbon footprint through several projects, like forest protection, gas capture, and regenerative grazing.
Many of their organic / Turkish bath towels are shipped with climate-neutral shipping, alongside product returns.
Community & charitable giving:
Parachute started the Home for Dreams initiative to support Black-owned businesses with funding, mentorship, and brand amplification.
My Personal Review of Parachute’s Soft Rib Towel Set:
“I debated for a long time which of Parachute’s towels to try—fluffy or textured?—but I eventually settled on the Soft Rib, and boy, am I glad I did. These are seriously the softest towels I’ve owned, and while they’re not as bulky as some high-pile towels, they feel just as fluffy and absorb even more water thanks to the unique ribbed pattern.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Coyuchi
About Coyuchi
Price Range: $8–$268
Comfort and Coyuchi go together like a healthy planet and the regenerative agriculture they promote.
Their selection is extensive, from ultra-plush high pile Cloud Loom towels to lightweight beach towels to Organic Waffle kitchen towels, there’s nothing you can’t dry.
If you’re on the fence (er, edge of the bathtub), a quick read of Coyuchi towel reviews will tell you all options live up to the hype.
Coyuchi’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton and nothing else.
The Air Weight bath towels go above and beyond with MADE SAFE and Fair Trade certified cotton badges.
Supply chain & labor practices:
You’ll be wrapping up in Turkish cotton grown and woven in the Aegean region.
Most manufacturing partners certified fair trade, through which Coyuchi provides additional development funding.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Although Coyuchi still uses plastic packaging, they utilize recycled paper inserts, reusable organic cotton bags, and recycled cardboard.
Old towels and gently used products can be sent back for recycling through their 2nd Home Take Back program.
Delilah Home
About Delilah Home
Price Range: $30
Delilah Home’s three pillars are sustainability, impact, and community—which shows in their 100% organic cotton towel sets.
All six options (face towel to bath sheet) are available in singles or three or six piece sets, they feature two-ply, double loops that make them extra fluffy and up to 50% thicker than most towels.
Delilah Home’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
Both their bathroom and sustainable beach towels are made using 100% GOTS-certified long-staple organic cotton.
Supply chain & labor practices:
A member of the Textile Exchange, Delilah works only with highly certified fair trade factories in Europe, all of which pay above living wages that exceed local and national laws.
Each bath towel set uses cotton sourced from Turkey and is ethically made in Portugal
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Not only is their CEO a Chairman of the Organic Trade Association Fiber Council, but they hold a host of other green certifications, like Green America, Oregon Tilth, and Vegan.org.
Ettitude
About ettitude
Price Range: $13–$99
If you appreciate the strange, yet satisfying feedback of waffle knit, ettitude will improve your attitude with their crisp and clean looking line of organic bamboo towels.
Their range of arguably the best bath towels is available in singles, a set, a hair towel, and, for new parents seeking sustainable baby products, an organic hooded towel.
ettitude’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
ettitude’s CleanBamboo™ lyocell, the only material in their towels, represents what all bamboo fabric should strive to be.
It’s made using non-toxic solvents in a closed-loop system where 98% of the water is recycled up to 200 times.
It features OEKO-TEX, PETA, and Ecocert certifications.
Supply chain & labor practices:
In addition to adhering to ettitude’s Code of Conduct, each Chinese manufacturing partners bear at least one certification by either SEDEX, WRAP, or BSCI.
They manufacture here because they source bamboo in China.
Carbon commitments & green practices:
Australian customers can return used ettitude products for recycling. US customers, stay tuned because they plan to implement the program here soon.
Check out their impact report for more on what this Climate Neutral certified company is doing.
My Personal Review of ettitude’s Waffle Towel Set:
“I really appreciate how lightweight yet incredibly absorbent these towels are, thanks to the pocketed waffle weave. The CleanBamboo™ fabric is made using a closed-loop process, and the towels are made in factories that hold ethical manufacturing certifications. My only complaint is that the bath towel isn’t quite as large as standard towels, so I can’t wrap up in it as comfortably as I’d like.”
Review by Amber McDaniel, SJ’s Head of Content
Under The Canopy
About Under the Canopy
Price Range: $8–$120
Under the Canopy makes some of the best organic bath towels at affordable prices and awe-inspiring colors.
They believe, as we do, that conscious products should not be exclusive to those with fatter sustainable wallets.
Under the Canopy’s towels come in three styles alongside several sizes and options, like baby towels, individual bath sheets, hand towels, and washcloths.
Under the Canopy’s Ethical & Sustainability Practices
Materials:
The towels are made of 100% OEKO-TEX and GOTS-certified organic cotton. They also offer OEKO-TEX certified Cotton & Hemp Towels.
Each organic cotton hand towel is treated with low-impact dyes.
Supply chain & labor practices:
Under The Canopy manufactures in a vertically integrated way that supports workers’ welfare and community investment.
They work with environmentally certified factories in India, Pakistan, Turkey, and China with fair pay and safe conditions.
Hailey is a full-time world traveler and a part-time content writer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida. She loves exploring the world by participating in local sustainability projects. Her project highlights include volunteering at a farm animal sanctuary in Hawaii, a butterfly biodiversity garden in Laos, and an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand. All experiences which have further developed her passion for universal animal welfare and advocacy. In her free time you might find her cuddling stray animals, hand crafting, café hopping, and literally hugging trees.
This is so good. Always in favour of reusable and eco-friendly products. You do have a range of lovely household products that are useful towards eliminating plastic and paper. Great going and inspiring.