How to Choose a Beach Towel That Actually Works

There's a moment at the beach when you shake out your towel and lay it down that sets the tone for the whole day. If the towel's too small, too thin, or rough from too many washes, you feel it immediately.

A great beach towel is one of those small things that quietly makes everything better. It doesn't demand attention — it just works. And choosing the right one is less complicated than it might seem.

Size: Why Bigger Usually Wins

The most common mistake people make when buying a beach towel is going too small. A towel that looks fine folded over a rail at home can feel cramped the moment you spread it on the sand.

For a beach towel you'll actually want to lie on, look for something at least 90 x 170 cm. Anything smaller starts to feel like you're constantly adjusting. If you tend to spread out or want room to move without hitting the sand, an oversized towel — closer to 100 x 180 cm or larger — makes a noticeable difference.

It's the same reason bath sheets feel better than standard bath towels at home. More fabric means more room, and more room means you can actually relax.

Material: What Changes the Feel and Performance

Cotton is the default for a reason. A quality cotton beach towel absorbs well, feels soft against skin after sun exposure, and holds its softness over time with the right care.

What matters within cotton is the weave and the weight. A tighter, more structured weave — as you'll find on the Tallow Beach Towel and Dunes Beach Towel — holds its texture longer and dries more evenly than a loose weave that mats after a few beach visits.

Turkish cotton (also called peshtemal) is lighter and dries faster, which makes it popular for travel. But it tends to feel thinner underfoot. If you're using your towel primarily to lie on, a heavier standard cotton will feel more grounded and comfortable.

Weight (GSM): Understanding the Numbers

GSM stands for grams per square metre and tells you how dense the fabric is. For beach towels:

• 350–450 GSM is on the lighter end — quick to dry, easy to pack, but less plush underfoot
• 450–600 GSM is the sweet spot for most beach use — substantial enough to feel considered, light enough to dry properly between uses
• 600+ GSM starts to feel more like a bath sheet, which is fine if you prefer that weight at the beach

The Golden Beach Towel and Pacific Beach Towel are designed to sit in that middle range — enough weight to feel good, light enough to shake out and dry in an afternoon.

Colour: Choosing One That Looks Good and Hides the Sand

Practically speaking, mid-tones and earthy colours hide sand and wear better than bright whites or very dark solids. Whites show every mark; very dark towels show every grain of sand and fade faster in the sun.

Warm, natural tones — golden, dunes, terracotta, pacific — tend to age the most gracefully and photograph well if that matters to you.

If you're building a considered beach setup, choosing a towel colour that works with your umbrella and bag as a set makes the whole thing feel more intentional without much effort. The Black Rock Beach Towel, Husk Beach Towel, and Terracotta Beach Towel are all designed to sit within the same tonal family, so they work together easily.

How to Keep a Beach Towel in Good Condition

Salt, sand, and sun are hard on towels. A few habits make a real difference:

Shake the towel out thoroughly before it dries — sand that dries into the fibres is much harder to remove later. Wash with a small amount of detergent and skip the fabric softener, which builds up in cotton over time and reduces absorbency. Hang to dry in shade or indirect sun where possible; prolonged intense sun exposure fades colours and breaks down fibres faster than anything else.

With the right care, a quality beach towel should stay soft and hold its colour through multiple seasons.

The Bottom Line

A beach towel isn't a complicated purchase, but it's one where quality genuinely shows up every single time you use it. The right size, the right cotton, and a weight that suits how you spend your day at the beach — those three things, done well, are all you need.

Complete Your Beach Kit

A great beach towel is the foundation of a well-built beach setup. Pair it with a towelling beach bag to carry everything in, a beach umbrella for shade, and a beach chair to round things out properly. A Tallow Beach Blanket or Dunes Beach Blanket from the Large Beach Blankets collection is worth adding if you like extra ground coverage — particularly useful for days with kids or a group.

The Beach Towel Sets bring together coordinated towels for two, making them a good option for couples or as a considered gift. The sun protection hat range — including the Tallow Towelling Beach Hat and Dunes Towelling Beach Hat — ties the look together while handling the practical reality of long days in Australian sun.

Browse the full Beach Towels collection, explore Beach Umbrella and Chair Sets for a matched setup, or see everything Sunday Supply Co. makes.

The Sunday Supply Co. beach towel range is designed to look as good as it feels — on the sand, over a chair, or wherever your summer takes you. Shop the full range.