Looking for a real Turkish towel review before you try this trendy textile? Here you go. Today I’m sharing honest thoughts on three Turkish towel styles from The Bali Market, one of my favorite vendors. I’ve also got an update on how these towels stand up to repeated use and washing with photos to show the wear and tear. (Spoiler alert: there’s not much!)
I’ve purchased many Turkish towels over the years, as you know from this post. One might say I’m a tad obsessed… However, I use my towels daily and rate them from first-hand experience.
Full disclosure: Bali sent me a few new towels to try this spring, but I am not being paid to write this blog post. I’m sharing my honest opinions with you, for better or for worse. If you click through my links and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage of any sales (at no added cost to you). That’s how the blogging world goes round, and I appreciate each and every click!
Turkish Towel Review Topics
Best of the Best: The Bali Market
Spring Colors in Popular Styles + MY REVIEWS
New Styles from The Bali Market
How to Make Turkish Towels MORE Absorbent
Ideas to Use Turkish Towels Beyond the Bath
My Discount Code – Save 20%!
The Bali Market Turkish Towel Review
There are few partnerships I treasure as much as my collaboration with The Bali Market. I could spend hours perusing their website and comparing towel designs and colors. If you also geek out over textiles, fiber content, and dye lots, you are my people. (Calling all knitters…)
Since I first discovered Turkish towels 5 years ago, I have tried many different brands, mostly options I could order on Amazon. You can read more about those different towels in my original Turkish towel review post:
My Favorite Affordable Turkish Towels
The Bali Market discovered my towel obsession and reached out to initiate a partnership – girl, I’m so glad they did! I can honestly tell you that these hand towels have become a staple in my kitchen and bathrooms. They are among the best I’ve tried, and the options keep expanding! I love updating my home with a new seasonal color or a new style in a tired space.
Plus, Turkish towels are the best pool/beach towels because they are light, quick-drying, colorful, and stylish! It’s nice to roll up and carry multiple towels in your bag without feeling like you’re hauling around a linen closet.
Setting the Standard
If you’ve done the research, you’ve probably read this article from The Spruce on the best Turkish towels. I cannot believe they missed The Bali Market in their Turkish towel review. Their #1 ranked towel is from Cacala, which sells a standard Turkish towel design, among others. I first bought one in 2017, and it’s a nice towel at an affordable price point, but it’s thin. You can order it here on Amazon if you’re curious.
The Bali Market sells a similar style called Perfect Classic, which is superior to the original Cacala towel I purchased. Both are the standard Turkish towel design in a solid color with a variety of thin, white stripes.
However, The Bali Market version is slightly thicker and the tassels hold up really well. Both do feel softer over time, but the Cacala towel shows wear and tear quickly. As you’ll see later in this post, the Perfect Classic does not!
See More of Our DIY Kitchen Remodel Here
Last note – I don’t believe the so-called best of anything needs to be the most expensive. For reference, The Bali Market products are in the middle of the pack, price-wise. They sell beautifully-made textiles, woven from 100% Turkish cotton (here’s why that matters) and they frequently offer sales or promos to save you a few bucks on the investment.
By the way, don’t pay full price! Use my discount code BALI20 and save 20% off any regular-price purchase! More on that, below.
Spring Colors in Three Popular Styles
OK, here’s the deal. I have three styles to show you today: Waffle Weave, Essential Stripe, and Perfect Classic. If you don’t want to read further, just choose the design/color you like best. All three styles are solid, home run picks and all of the hand towels can be found here.
If you jump over to the Bali website, don’t forget to use my discount code to save 20%!
Here’s a comparison shot of these three styles, hanging together to show lengths:
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you might have seen this sneak peek photo of my new obsession: this lilac Waffle Weave towel. Gah! It’s sooooo soft, even softer than another favorite, the Essential Stripe, and that one is hard to beat.
Waffle Weave
If I had to choose one style for a bath towel, it would be the Waffle Weave. The construction of this weave means that the towel feels a little fluffier than other styles, which is always my preference for bath towels. It is certainly thin though – don’t expect this to compare to a terry cloth towel – but it will dry in a fraction of the time. Seriously, if I lived in New Orleans or an equally muggy climate, I would only own Turkish bath towels.
The lilac color is my personal favorite, but this towel comes in eight colors, including this sweet baby blue called chambray or “true” blue.
This lovely towel feels soft and squishy right out of the gate. Washing only makes it softer over time, so you know where this towel is headed.
The Waffle Weave style is slightly shorter than the other two I’ve tried, but it’s a nice size for the kitchen. It’s woven on cream-colored strands, which twist into the tassels, in contrast with the white warp threads of the Perfect Classic.
Essential Stripe
Last year, I discovered the Essential Stripe towel from The Bali Market, and it became my go-to favorite. This one is a staple in my rotation of kitchen towels because it’s so absorbent and soft.
Here is my navy towel next to yellow and green, two new colors to add to my collection. The navy has shrunk a tiny bit over the last year in the dryer (let’s be real, I’m not air-drying anything other than wool socks), but it has held up really well.
I’ve noticed a tiny amount of pilling, but it might be a result of being washed with other kitchen towels. Perhaps – er, probably – that’s due to user error. It’s visible in that photo above. Did you spot it? That’s how minor the pilling is.
The Essential Stripe towels are the most generously-sized style of hand towel that I’ve tried. I’m planning to pack one as a travel face towel and it would also be perfect in a gym bag. These are much larger than standard hand towels, and the thin fabric dries in a snap to avoid trapping any funky odors (but here’s how to deal with that!). This style is also woven on cream-colored warp threads, and the tassels have all stayed tied!
Perfect Classic
If you’re debating which towel to try on your first order from The Bali Market, you can’t go wrong with the Perfect Classic. Truly, this is a stellar product, head and shoulders above similar versions I’ve tried from other vendors.
The Perfect Classic has a very smooth feel, and it becomes incredibly soft over time. After repeated washings, this towel seems to evolve more than the others, and yet it still looks beautiful.
All three of these towel styles are well-crafted, but the Perfect Classic will surprise you, in the best way. I didn’t realize how soft my original towel had become over the past year until I unwrapped a brand new towel and directly compared the two cloths.
This is where 100% Turkish cotton comes into play. The long-staple fibers create this smooth fabric that softens over time, and I am now a true believer after seeing it for myself!
I took a few photos to show you the difference between a crisp new towel and an older version. It’s almost impossible to tell them apart! Can you guess which is the new towel? (It’s on the left.)
Some of the towels are listed individually by color, so click here to see all of the hand towels on one page.
New Styles from The Bali Market
These are the fun, new styles that were just introduced and they are moving quickly. I guess this means it’s time for me to grab a new beach/pool towel!
Marine Stripe
These preppy stripes would make a fun family 4-pack of pool towels, with different colors for everyone.
Zebra Stripe
The Bali Market has created an instant classic with these pastel zebra designs. If they are sold out when you see this, check back soon. They are moving fast!
Beach Babe
Check out these juicy “fruit cocktail” colors. If you love hot pink, look for the dragonfruit towel. I have my eye on the sunny lemon.
How to Make Turkish Towels More Absorbent
It’s sort of a trick question, but can Turkish towels become even more absorbent? According to the internet, yes they can, if you soak them first for 12 hours before washing. Apparently, this magic helps the fibers open up and become more absorbent. Who am I to ignore internet advice??
I will be totally honest with you and admit, I’ve never done a side-by-side experiment to determine whether or not this is true. Should I try a soak test in the name of research? Or blogging?
That said… I do soak my towels. Why not? Just fill a sink or the bathtub with cold water and let them soak overnight. Easy. Here’s what The Bali Market recommends to prep your towels. They don’t emphasize soaking, just a pre-wash. Be advised.
More Ways to Use Turkish Towels
OK, I’ve got your attention now, I bet. Are you thinking of gift ideas after reading this gushing Turkish towel review? Here are more ways to make the most of these lovely fabrics.
Here are the hand towel options and here are towel sets, where you’ll save some cash.
IDEAS
– Bake a loaf of bread or brownies, wrap in foil, and then “gift wrap” with a freshly-washed, brand new towel.
– Roll up a few hand towels and tuck them into a basket with supplies for a baby shower gift.
– This baby blanket and towel set is lovely and would also make a memorable gift.
– Order your dad’s favorite color to toss in his gym bag.
– Pair one with a nice wooden spoon as a gift for the home chef in your life.
– Order a set of towels as a housewarming gift. Bonus points if you soak and wash them first!
– Send a towel to the traveler in your life – to wear as a wrap on the airplane, sarong at the pool, or a light beach towel.
Save 20% with My Code!
Use my special discount code BALI20 to save 20% on your order at The Bali Market. Enter the code at checkout to make sure you save $$ on your order. I hope you love them as much as I do.
Share Your Own Turkish Towel Review
Have you tried towels from The Bali Market? Or a different Turkish towel vendor? What do you think of these towels? I would truly love to hear feedback and Turkish towel reviews from readers.
