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What Is a Kitchen Towel?
A kitchen towel is one of the most versatile kitchen items you will own. They are more durable than the average bath towel and are used to wipe up spills, clean off cutting boards, dry dishes, dry hands, and even hold hold hot plates and dishes.
Kitchen towels are usually made of cotton, giving them durability to stand up to repeat washing, absorbency, and softness. They are intended for fairly heavy uses, but can also add a touch of style to your kitchen. You should always have a fresh, clean kitchen towel every time you cook.
Why ORGANIC Cotton
As you probably know, cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops on the planet. Cotton is grown on 2.5% of the world’s farmland but uses 16-25 % of all chemical pesticides and fertilizers. In the US alone, approximately 600 tons of pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used on cotton fields every year.
Cotton makes the best material for kitchen towels, as it is the most absorbent. When you choose organic cotton , you are voting with your dollar for a cleaner world. You are supporting a greener, more sustainable industry and helping keep pollution out of our air and water, but you already knew that 😉
What Makes a Great Kitchen Towel?
- Absorbent– A good kitchen towel needs to be absorbent. Cotton is the most absorbent material and a tight weave will give the highest absorbency.
- Well-Sized – This is very important. A large kitchen towel can be used for more tasks, and will last longer before you need to grab a new one.
- Attractive – Kitchen towels are usually hung to dry in the open where everyone can see them, so they should look pleasing.
- Durable – A kitchen towel will be washed repeatedly and must be able to be thrown in the washer and dryer without it falling apart. Look for thick, soft, well-woven and hemmed kitchen towels.
- Easy to Care For – You want your towels to be machine washable and able to go in the dryer.
- Lint-free – High-quality cotton kitchen towels will stay lint-free.
- High-Quality – Avoid buying cheap kitchen towels and instead look for the highest quality you can afford. Cheap towels tend to be made of thin, low-quality cotton and wear out quickly. Cheap towels also shed lint, making them more bothersome than useful.
What to Look For IN an Organic Kitchen Towel
- Cotton instead of linen – cotton does a better job at picking up water.
- Look for a waffle or basket weave – they are the most absorbent. The textured pockets will capture more water and be more effective at wiping up spills.
- Standards and Certifications – Look for products that are certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The GOTS goes far beyond verifying the organic farming process to include every step of manufacturing.
- Organic cotton from India or Egypt – this cotton tends to be softer because the summers there are longer and the cotton fibers grow longer.
- Low impact dyes – traditional or low impact dyes have less of an environmental burden. Look for products that are not finished with any chemical finishes like formaldehyde.
Where to Buy Organic Kitchen Towels
The Ultimate Green Store carries one of our favorite organic textile brands, Coyuchi, in kitchen towels. They tick off all of our favorite boxes being organic, cotton and waffle weave (and great striped colors!):
Coyuchi Striped Waffle Organic Kitchen Towels in Blues
Coyuchi Striped Waffle Organic Kitchen Towels in Warms
The number of incredible textile artisans on Etsy has grown since we first published this post. Two of our favorites are:
There are also some organic cotton kitchen towels that we really like available on Amazon. My favorites include:
Do you have organic cotton towels? What is your favorite brand?
This post was originally published on October 12, 2016.
What other towels did you sample and how would you rank them? What was your process in determining the winner?
Hi Stephanie, thanks for your questions. When buying organic, you have to be careful, because many of the companies creating organic textiles are getting their organic cotton for cheap from China. Just because a company is making organic products does not mean they put their heart and soul into making the world a better place. Many companies are just cashing in on a trendy market. The reason I choose Coyuchi is because they have high standards and source their fabrics ethically. The recycle their water waste and use low impact dyes. I research brands and I research customer feedback to determine my product recommendation. To me, Coyuchi is one of the best companies making organic textiles. I have not tested these towels, but based on my research, they are the best organic kitchen towels you can buy. If you care about the planet and how your choices impact it (which most people buying organic do), then buying these towels will fulfill that want. I hope that answers your questions!
Please don’t promote Amazon. they are killing off all local bookstores, groceries, toy stores, etc. They are as toxic as pesticides to the health of our society.
Hi Chris, I do agree with you that Amazon is a huge company that is competing with small businesses, often to the detriment of family-owned shops. The thing is, people feel comfortable buying online from Amazon, which is why we link there. Do you have suggestions on other places to purchase from?