September 2026
wash them before you use them
New cotton is a little stiff and doesn't drink water well. One wash fixes that.
Cotton is finished with a light sizing at the mill so it weaves and folds neatly. That sizing is why a brand-new towel pushes water around instead of soaking it up.
Wash every new towel once on warm before you use it. Waffle weave in particular gets noticeably thicker and softer after the first two or three washes, as the cells shrink and puff up.
Skip fabric softener. It coats the fibres and makes towels less absorbent over time.