Welcome to The Eco Hub, where we are dedicated to discovering the finest sustainable brands. Our recommendations are based on independent reviews, and when you purchase through our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission. For more details, please learn more here.
As the sun shines bright and the beach beckons, it’s time to elevate your seaside experience with the most stylish beach accessory of the season – sustainable beach towels! With a growing awareness of our environmental footprint, eco-friendly beach towels have become essential for beach enthusiasts. Not only do they feature sustainable materials, but they also come in a delightful array of vibrant colors and playful patterns that ensure you stand out on the shore. So, don your zero-waste sunscreen and slip into your recycled flip-flops as we dive into the world of sustainable beach towels!
Our Top Picks for Eco-Friendly Beach Towels
- Slowtide
- LinenCasa
- Weezie
- Nomadix
- Delilah Home
- Stray and Wander
- Outlier
- Coyuchi
No perfect beach day is complete without a plush, absorbent beach towel. Whether you’re swimming, surfing, or simply lounging under the sun, a quality towel is essential. We’ve meticulously researched materials, production practices, and more, so you won’t have to. Read on to discover how we selected these top-notch towels and whether recycling plastic into beach towels is a viable option. This guide provides choices for both natural fabric and recycled plastic beach towels, empowering you to make informed decisions aligned with your values and environmental priorities.
1. Slowtide
Based in California, Slowtide is a brand that fuses sustainability with functionality in its beach essentials. Founded in 2015 by a group of friends passionate about surfing and design, Slowtide’s classic beach towels are crafted from a soft, absorbent blend of 100% cotton and showcase stunning designs inspired by nature and travel. They also provide oversized beach towels made with the same eco-friendly materials, ensuring ample coverage and comfort for your day by the sea.
If you’re seeking something lightweight and compact, their travel towels made from recycled polyester and nylon are perfect for on-the-go adventures, drying quickly while being easy to pack. Furthermore, they offer yoga towels featuring non-slip backing for secure practice and Turkish towels made from recycled cotton and polyester, ideal for a lightweight, quick-drying option at the beach or pool.
Fabrics and Materials: Slowtide utilizes various materials for their organic beach towels, including recycled, organic, and upcycled cotton. These materials are certified by organizations such as Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), OEKO-TEX, and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), ensuring their sustainable and ethical production practices.
Ethical Sourcing: Some of Slowtide’s cotton is sourced from the Cotton LEADS program, promoting responsible resource use and minimal environmental impact. They are members of Sedex, adhering to ethical labor practices and supply chain transparency.
Corporate Responsibility: Slowtide collaborates with organizations like 1% for the Planet and the Surfrider Foundation to support ocean conservation and beach clean-up initiatives. They also engage with local communities to foster environmental education programs, donating a portion of profits to various non-profits.
2. LinenCasa
LinenCasa is a sustainable home textile brand that focuses on linen products, offering a variety of eco-friendly linen bedding, bath towels, beach essentials, and kitchen towels. Their beach towels come in various sizes, including large bath sheet sizes, and are lightweight, quick-drying, and highly absorbent, making them perfect companions for beach outings. With unique designs and patterns, these towels add a chic touch to your beach essentials.
Fabrics and Materials: LinenCasa’s quick-dry towels are made from 100% European flax linen, celebrated for its softness and durability. The linen meets OEKO-TEX® standards, ensuring it’s free from harmful substances. Additionally, linen requires less water and energy to produce than other textiles, making it an eco-friendly choice that is biodegradable and recyclable.
Ethical Sourcing: Certified by Sedex, LinenCasa’s linen is sourced from locally grown flax in Europe. They work with skilled artisans who receive fair wages, ensuring no child labor is involved in their supply chain.
Corporate Responsibility: LinenCasa is committed to giving back, donating a portion of their profits to charities focused on environmental conservation and social justice.
3. Weezie
Weezie is a luxury home textile brand that offers high-quality, eco-friendly beach towels and robes. Founded in 2018 by Lindsey Johnson and Liz Eichholz, the brand was born out of a desire to create better towels after their experiences with low-quality options. Their beach towels come in a variety of colors and patterns, from classic stripes to bold solids and playful prints. Customers have the option to personalize their towels with monograms for an added touch.
For families looking to save, Weezie offers a Beach Towel Bundle that provides excellent value.
Fabrics and Materials: Weezie employs a blend of long-staple cotton and TENCEL™ Modal, resulting in towels that are soft, plush, lightweight, and quick-drying. The cotton is OEKO-TEX® certified, ensuring it is free from harmful chemicals.
Ethical Sourcing: Designed in the U.S. and manufactured in Portugal, Weezie is dedicated to ethical production practices.
Corporate Responsibility: Weezie uses eco-friendly packaging and has a recycling program allowing customers to return used towels for recycling. They also support various charitable organizations promoting sustainability and social justice initiatives.
4. Nomadix
Nomadix specializes in eco-friendly travel towels, perfect for adventurers. Their Original Towel is crafted from certified post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and comes in various sizes for different uses. The Mini Towel is compact, ideal for hiking or camping, while the Ultralight Towel is perfect for those who need to travel light. The Bandana Towel offers versatility as a headband or scarf, and the Poncho Towel can be used as a towel or worn as a poncho. Nomadix towels are designed for quick drying and resistance to odor, making them perfect for outdoor activities.
Fabrics and Materials: All Nomadix towels are made from post-consumer recycled plastics, meeting strict environmental standards certified by the Global Recycle Standard. Their MicroTerry and MicroSuede materials provide UPF50+ sun protection.
Ethical Sourcing: Nomadix’s towels are produced in a solar-powered factory in China, where they maintain strict ethical standards through regular factory visits.
Corporate Responsibility: The brand implements a carbon-neutral initiative, offsetting emissions from manufacturing and shipping. As members of 1% for the Planet, they donate 1% of annual sales to environmental non-profits.
5. Delilah Home
Delilah Home offers a range of sustainable home goods, including organic beach towels, hand towels, washcloths, and bedding. Their organic beach towels are designed for absorbency, quick-drying, and longevity, making them ideal for beach days. Available in various stylish patterns and sizes, these towels cater to families and individuals alike.
Fabrics and Materials: Made from 100% organic cotton, Delilah Home’s beach towels are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and are completely chemical-free.
Ethical Sourcing: The brand partners with Fair Trade factories that ensure workers are paid fair wages and work in healthy, safe conditions.
Corporate Responsibility: Delilah Home boasts numerous certifications, including OneCert and Organic Trade Association. They donate 10% of profits to local organizations like Operation Warm and are members of 1% for the Planet.
6. Stray & Wander
Stray & Wander specializes in sustainable, ethically-made beach towels. Their towels are soft, absorbent, and quick-drying, perfect for beach or pool days. They provide a range of sizes and designs, from traditional beach towels to round towels and even beach ponchos.
Fabrics and Materials: Stray & Wander uses 100% Turkish cotton, known for its exceptional quality and durability. This cotton is hypoallergenic and soft, making it suitable for sensitive skin, and their towels are free from harmful chemicals and synthetic materials.
Ethical Sourcing: The brand collaborates with women’s cooperatives and family-run businesses to ensure fair trade practices and preserve traditional towel-making techniques.
Corporate Responsibility: Stray & Wander supports responsible consumerism and aims to uplift the artisans and communities involved in their production.
7. Outlier
Founded in 2008, Outlier is a clothing brand focused on creating versatile, high-quality clothing for any environment. Their Grid Linen Towel is a standout product, featuring a stylish grid pattern that increases absorbency and aids in quick drying. The unique box weave structure enhances its performance by maximizing the surface area of the linen fibers.
Fabrics and Materials: The towel combines linen and nylon, making it highly absorbent and quick-drying.
Ethical Sourcing: Outlier sources its linen from top mills in Europe and Japan, where strict labor and environmental laws are enforced.
Corporate Responsibility: The brand takes responsibility for its products’ entire lifecycle, offering repair and recycling programs to minimize environmental impact and promoting transparency in its materials and manufacturing processes.
8. Coyuchi
Coyuchi, founded in 1991 in Point Reyes Station, California, is a beloved brand that offers organic bedding, bath linens, sustainable blankets, and organic pillows. Committed to using only organic and natural fibers, Coyuchi’s products are designed to be luxurious and eco-friendly, made from sustainable materials with minimal environmental impact. Their beach towels come in various sizes, including standard and larger bath sheet sizes, and are available in an array of colors and patterns. They are pre-washed and machine washable for easy care.
Fabrics and Materials: Coyuchi’s products are certified by GOTS, Fair Trade, and the Textile Exchange, ensuring sustainable materials and ethical labor practices.
Ethical Sourcing: The brand collaborates with farmers and mills that adhere to organic and sustainable practices while prioritizing their employees’ well-being. They also work with Fair Trade Certified factories to guarantee fair wages and safe working conditions.
Corporate Responsibility: Coyuchi is a member of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of its annual revenue to environmental non-profits.
The Search for Sustainable Beach Towels: How We Found the Best Options
At The Eco Hub, we focus on three critical questions:
1. What kind of fabric is it made from?
Choosing the right material for a beach towel is essential from both sustainability and quick-drying perspectives. Organic cotton, particularly long-staple cotton, is one of the best options due to its durability and absorbency. Other natural fabrics like bamboo, hemp, and linen can also be used in eco beach towels, while recycled synthetics like recycled polyester (rPET) are gaining traction. These towels are lightweight, quick-drying, and versatile. However, using a GUPPYFRIEND wash bag when washing synthetic materials is recommended to minimize microfiber shedding. Regardless of the material, low-impact dyes are preferred. Look for certifications such as Oeko-Tex, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), OneCert, Cotton LEADS program, and GRS to ensure strict environmental and social standards.
2. How are the fabrics sourced?
We prioritize brands that are transparent about their factory partnerships and ensure the well-being of their workers, farmers, and artisans. Supporting brands that collaborate with small cooperatives to preserve traditional towel-making techniques is also essential. Certifications such as Fair Trade, B-Corp, MADE SAFE, Sedex, SCAN, and amfori help us ensure that our recommended towels meet high ethical and environmental standards.
3. What is the brand’s corporate responsibility?
We evaluate how sustainable beach towel companies extend their commitment beyond eco-friendly materials and ethical sourcing. Many brands take extra steps to support sustainable practices, such as contributing to their communities and enhancing the places where they employ individuals. Some go further by offsetting carbon emissions, using biodegradable or recyclable packaging, or even repurposing pre-loved products.
Are Beach Towels Made From Recycled Plastics Sustainable?
Microfiber towels crafted from recycled plastics can present both environmental benefits and challenges. While these towels reduce plastic waste by repurposing plastic bottles, they may also shed microplastics during washing, leading to pollution in waterways and oceans. Some manufacturers combat this issue through higher-quality fibers or washing bags that capture microplastics. It is crucial to weigh the environmental impact of any textile, including recycled plastic options.
On the positive side, using recycled materials for beach towels helps conserve natural resources, such as oil and energy, which would be consumed in producing traditional polyester fabrics. The production of recycled polyester typically results in lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin polyester. Moreover, recycled plastic beach towels are durable and long-lasting, making them a sustainable choice for beachgoers.
When selecting beach towels made from recycled materials, look for certifications like Global Recycled Standard (GRS) or Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) to ensure adherence to strict environmental and social standards. Ultimately, while recycled plastic beach towels can be a fantastic option for reducing environmental impact, it is essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully and make well-informed choices.
A Final Word on Eco Beach Towels
Fortunately, the rising trend of sustainable beach towels offers a variety of eco-friendly options that minimize environmental impact while providing style, durability, and comfort. If you’re on the lookout for sustainable swimwear, check out our blogs for eco-friendly options suitable for both men and women. Don’t forget to explore your local thrift shops for hidden gems!