It was the lightest and had the softest feel. It also came in a nice rectangular box which you could wrap as a gift and it came with a handy mini towel for hands, feet, or face. The towel itself is a good size and big enough to wrap around me after a shower. Generally, bigger is better if you’re taking your towel to the beach – and there are a few jumbo-sized microfibre towels out there expressly aimed for this purpose. How should I wash my microfibre towel? Unfortunately, they are not biodegradable and are made from non-renewable resources. Like most things, it’s a compromise, nothing is a perfect solution to saving the planet. Manufacturers are increasingly using recycled waste as raw materials, which is lovely to see. Some of the best microfiber towels boast an antibacterial treatment, which prevents the buildup of bacteria and bad smells. Style We've got a wide range of sports and swimming towels built for lasting the test of time. Our travel towels combine funky prints with a high-quality weave, meaning they'll keep you warm and comfy for longer. What's more, our microfibre beach towels are super lightweight, so you can easily fit one in your bag next time you're headed to the seaside. Sports & Travel Towels

The fabric is 85% recycled, which is excellent, and while we found it wasn’t as absorbent as some microfiber towels made with fluffier materials, it does the job it’s designed for admirably (Sea to Summit state it soaks up three times its weight in water, but then it weighs next to nothing when dry). We took just one travel towel to Everest Base Camp in an effort to save weight. That was stupid, nobody wanted to share a used towel and we were unable to get it washed. No time to read the whole post? This is the one we chose out of all the travel towels we bought below (currently unavailable – second choice here) as seen in the photo.READ NEXT: The best Dryrobes and alternatives to keep you cosy The best microfibre towels 1. Fit-Flip: Best all-round microfibre towel The Nomadix is a bit more expensive than other towels and quite larger as well. That being said, the larger price tag is more than justifiable – this towel will last longer than most and you will definitely get more use out of it. Typical weights we found were 200- 300g for a large size. Know your maximum weight allowance for your airline, these do vary dramatically. Are Microfibre Travel Towels Environmentally Friendly? Cotton is a water-thirsty crop and not generally considered “green”. I don’t know what the answer is. Testing this selection of the best camping towels, we too noticed their versatility and importance to any trip. As well as the obvious function of getting us dry after a shower, we wrapped them around us for warmth and lay on them on beaches. We could have used them as flags to signal rescue services or wafted them to ward off hungry predators, but the opportunities, thankfully, never arose.

These are great, as they are easier to reach for in a loaded suitcase, and you can also use them to avoid the bulk when going to the beach. It’s hard to know what is the right decision currently hopefully things will be clearer soon. We certainly do enjoy using our Turkish cotton travel towels and they’re lovely for the beach or as sarongs. Micro Towelling or Micro Fibre Suede Finish?

The best microfibre towels

I’d give this beach towel props just for being so damn good lookin’! Look at those patterns! So bold and colorful! Who says a microfiber travel towel has to be flat-colored and boring, anways? As a woman, I like a larger towel to wrap right around me from armpit to knees. I also have long hair so to wrap and contain it effectively after a shower I do need a second, notquite so large, towel. Unfortunately, the world’s waters and reefs are now contaminated with microfibres. And they don’t break down. If I were buying new now I’d give serious consideration to a natural fibre or cotton travel towel like those below. They come out of the washing machine almost dry, so if you’re the sort to use an electric dryer, no more tumble drying huge heavy towels and wasting the planet’s resources that way. Cotton Travel Towels May Be More Eco-Friedly You can use it for both your face and body, while still taking up very little space in your luggage.

Classic cotton towels are extremely absorbent and can be luxuriously soft, but they are bulky and heavy, and take a long time to dry. For surfers, swimmers and car campers, who don’t care about weight, they can still be a good option, and robes can be perfect, with some people continuing to wear them long after they’ve dried off and warmed up. We’ve all been there – stumbling around in a public place with a towel loosely wrapped around your waist, trying to change into or out of swimmers, with the threat of accidentally flashing everyone around you a constant worry.

The finish is smooth, which means these towels are ideal for laying down on beaches and other terrain, and they won’t collect sand or grit. Treated with Polygiene, they boast permanent bacteria control, which will prevent the buildup of bad odors. The corner attachment hoop (which opens with a clip) comes in handy if you want to hang this towel up from a branch or pole to create shade or cover, or simply to stop it dropping onto the floor. Compact – A microfiber travel towel should take up as little room as possible. They should fold up smaller than a tank-top. For the environmentally-conscious traveler, the Nomadix travel towel is about as ideal as it gets. This towel is made of 100% recycled materials – fibers from plastic bottles are processed into effective and comfortable nylon and polyester threads. These towels do not involve any sort of polymer-based microfiber yet they are still very good at what they do.