I Live Along the Beach, and This Is Softest, Most Absorbent Turkish Towel I’ve Ever Used

I Live Along the Beach, and This Is Softest, Most Absorbent Turkish Towel I’ve Ever Used

by | Jun 20, 2022 | Design Inspiration, Style

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

I’ll admit, it took me longer than it should have to jump onto the Turkish beach towel bandwagon — especially considering I live at the beach! I didn’t see the need to buy anything new when my trusty terrycloth towels worked just fine. Wow, was I wrong! When I finally adopted this new (to me) technology and realized how much lighter, slimmer, and chicer it was, I was a total convert. I have since opened myself to all sorts of towel possibilities, and my latest find is the hands-down frontrunner for my favorite. Every time (literally every time) I pull my FiveADRIFT Beach Towel out of my beach bag, I get tons of oohs and aahs from my friends, and we spend the next few minutes talking about how fabulous it is.

I fell in love with this beauty the moment I laid eyes on it online. With a sun-bleached, beach-inspired color palette, it exudes a laid-back vibe that immediately brings to mind surf spots like San Diego and Hawaii. I went with S. Pacific Ocean Boho Surf — a mix of stripes in rusty orange and aqua blue — but the other three styles are equally easy on the eyes. Ropy tassels on either end give it that extra dash of boho appeal, and it’s lightweight enough to throw in your beach bag or even your luggage without the bulk of a terrycloth towel. Yet even with such a slim profile, it’s spans a generous 65″ x 36″, so you can spread yourself out on the sand for a nap or wrap it around you when that welcome afternoon sunshower passes through.

And when you do get wet, whether after the rain or a dip in the ocean, you won’t stay that way for long. FiveADRIFT’s towel is made from HempCORE, a blend of hemp and cotton that absorbs three times as much water as the average towel. I’ve used towels that claim to get more absorbent with every wash, but this one actually does! Sure, the $49 price tag seemed high at first — especially given that my usual Turkish towels are six for $60 on Amazon — but I love the fact that, unlike most towels on the market, these contain zero microfibers or plastics that will seep into the water and harm the planet. I can also happily confirm that this FiveADRIFT gem is the softest towel I’ve ever used, and it just gets softer with every wash.

In the past, whether I’ve used terrycloth or Turkish towels, I’ve always ended up with a pile of sand at the bottom of the washing machine. It’s one of the hazards of spending time at the beach, right? Wrong! The geniuses at FiveADRIFT crafted HempCORE to be sand resistant, so you can leave the beach at the beach where it belongs instead of bringing it home with you. A towel that is kinder to my laundry appliances? Now that’s a benefit I didn’t expect. ($49 is looking a bit more reasonable, huh?)

I prefer to spend my money on brands that align with my values, which is why I was drawn to FiveADRIFT in the first place. The company donates 100 percent (!!) of its profits to ridding the sea of the 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic that litter it. In fact, each towel purchased equates to 75 plastic bottles being removed from our oceans. ($49? A bargain!)

So get ready for a stylish, sustainably minded summer! Whether you’re headed for the beach or the pool — or perhaps a little of both — I have a feeling that this FiveADRIFT Beach Towel is about to become your favorite, too.

This Stylish Beach Towel Is So Absorbent, It’s Now My Go-To Bath Towel

This Stylish Beach Towel Is So Absorbent, It’s Now My Go-To Bath Towel

by | Aug 3, 2021 | Design Inspiration, Style

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission.

I tend to have a strict policy on how I use towels. For one, I usually replace them often (never using a towel beyond two to three days in a row), and I always have a separate towel on hand to dry my face. In the past, I’ve also made it a point to have a clear line of separation between my bathroom towels and my beach towels — that was, until I tried Brooklinen’s new Hamman Towel. What I thought was strictly a beach towel turned out to be incredibly soft and absorbent, and it just may find its rightful place in my bathroom.

After I received my package, it didn’t take long to sell me on the fact that these towels, made of 85 percent Turkish cotton, were the real deal. The gorgeous striped design is easy on the eyes (I opted for the Cool Mint colorway) and the material is immediately soft to the touch, even before it goes in the wash. And because I immediately throw new towels and bedding into the washing machine before using them, I was pleased to see them get even softer afterwards. So far, so good!

I discovered the real magic of these super-absorbent towels during a recent beach trip with my sister and five-year-old nephew. It was an impromptu stop during a 90-degree day, and my sister mistakenly forgot to bring towels of her own. As a result, all three of us ended up having to share the Brooklinen Hammam Towel I brought. Surprisingly, it kept us all dry after our swim and didn’t become sopping wet like we expected. In fact, it dried rather quickly by the time we packed up our beach bag. To say I was stunned would be an understatement. It was then that I knew this towel was the real deal. As if the absorbency wasn’t enough of a selling point, I also love that this towel measures 40″ x 70″, which is the perfect size if you’re using this to lay out on (which we did after drying off).

After our beach day, I was curious to see how the Brooklinen towel would fare as a bath towel. Similar to its performance at the beach, it ended up being one of the fastest drying towels I’ve ever used. I love the ample size of the fabric, which gives me more surface area to dry my hair and body. The terry cloth side of the towel is so heavenly soft and is just the thing you want to be wrapped up in after a hot shower. So far, I’ve washed this towel three times and I’ve noticed no pilling or unraveling of the terry cloth. When it’s all dry, this towel folds flat and fits easily into the linen closet without much bulkiness. Unlike other towels I’ve tested and shared with my family, this is one that I want to keep all to myself.

Though the Brooklinen Hammam Towel is a bit on the pricier side, I won’t hesitate to buy it again in different colors. Suffice it to say, I think I’ve found my favorite summer splurge.

Jasmine Grant

Senior Commerce Editor

Jasmine is Apartment Therapy’s Senior Commerce Editor, where she’s devoted to leading shopping guides and bringing you the best deals on the internet. She knows a whole lot about rugs, candles and geometric vases. Ask away!

Follow Jasmine