How to wash a hair towel

A hair towel is a textile, and how you wash it matters. Ours is knitted cotton terry, 80% cotton, 17% polyester and 3% elastane, made at an OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified facility in Portugal. Here is how to wash it, what to avoid, and how to help it last.

The instructions

Machine wash at 30°C (cold). Tumble dry low. Do not bleach. Do not dry clean.

That is really it. Four instructions, and they matter more than they look.

Why the temperature is low

Heat is the main thing to watch with this fabric.

The Hair Towel has elastane in the knit, which gives the fabric its stretch and recovery. Repeated high heat can wear that stretch down over time.

A cold wash and low tumble dry are not special treatment. They are simply the better way to care for the fabric.

What quietly wears a towel out

Two things are especially hard on a towel over time: fabric softener and bleach.

Fabric softener. Softener leaves a coating on the fibers, which can make a towel less absorbent over time. Dryer sheets can do the same.

Bleach. Bleach can weaken fibers over time and shorten the life of the terry loops.

Skip both.

How I wash mine

Mine usually goes in with my whites on a gentle cycle, then into the dryer on low.

The conventional advice is to wash towels with towels because terry can shed lint and heavier fabrics can be rough on lighter ones. But a hair towel is small and light, and I have never found it necessary to give mine its own load.

Washing does not have to be careful, only correct

None of this is delicate treatment. A hair towel is still a towel. It goes in the washing machine, it comes out clean, and it can do that for years when you keep the heat low and skip anything that coats or weakens the fibers.

If you want the longer story on what this fabric is and why we chose it, it is here: why we chose cotton. And the towel itself is here: The Hair Towel

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should you wash a hair towel at?

We recommend 30°C (cold) for routine washing. Lower heat is gentler on the knitted fabric and the stretch built into it.

Can you put a hair towel in the dryer?

Yes. Tumble dry The COTI Hair Towel on low. Repeated high heat can wear down the stretch in the fabric over time.

Can you use fabric softener on a hair towel?

We would not. Fabric softener can coat the fibers and reduce absorbency over time. The same applies to dryer sheets.

Can you bleach a hair towel?

No. Bleach can weaken the fibers and shorten the life of the terry loops.

How often should you wash a hair towel?

There is no single rule. If you use your hair towel several times a week, washing it about once a week is a reasonable starting point. Wash it sooner if it stays damp, smells less than fresh or has product buildup.

Can you wash a hair towel with clothes?

Yes, although washing towels with other towels is the traditional recommendation. The COTI Hair Towel is small enough to go in a regular load with like colors, using cold water and skip fabric softener.