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7 Sustainable Beach Towels for an Eco-Friendly Summer

It's pool and beach season!

Rawganique towels on rack with rock
Shopping

Courtesy of Rawganique

It's pool and beach season!

In recent years, the world has witnessed an increasing shift toward organic products. From food and cosmetics to textiles, the organic movement is burgeoning, reflecting a growing awareness of personal health and environmental preservation. A standout in this organic revolution is organic cotton.

You may have already added organic cotton to your wardrobe, but have you considered bringing it to your beach towels? After all, why ruin a perfectly delightful beach day with a towel that’s causing harm to the planet and potentially to your body?

If your beach towel closet is in need of a refresh, it’s time to make the upgrade to organic cotton towels. And making the switch isn’t nearly as pricey or difficult as you might think.

Does Organic Cotton Really Make a Difference?

Conventional cotton is everywhere. Just look around. Are you wearing a cotton T-shirt? Maybe jeans? What about your socks or undies? What type of sheets are on your bed? What about the hand towel in your kitchen or the blanket on your sofa? Chances are, one, if not all of those items, is pure cotton.

We all love the soft, natural feel of cotton. But did you know that conventional cotton uses more pesticides than nearly any other crop? It’s true. And while numbers vary, some reports put it as high as 16 percent of global pesticide use even though cotton is grown on only 2.5 percent of the planet's agricultural land. In other words, cotton, our favorite natural material, “the fabric of our lives” is saturated in harmful chemicals.

Organic cotton, though, is grown without harmful pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms. Its production sustains the health of soils, ecosystems, and, most critically, the health of people working with the raw material. By using gentler, natural agricultural processes rather than artificial inputs, organic cotton ensures its own longevity and, as a result, ours, too.

The absence of toxic chemicals ensures that the end product is safer for sensitive skin. Organic cotton is also remarkably soft, durable, and highly absorbent, making it an excellent material for those summer beach towels.

The Best Organic Cotton Beach Towels

Apart from the health and environmental benefits, organic cotton towels provide superior comfort and aesthetic appeal, adding a luxurious touch to your beach experience.

When choosing an organic cotton beach towel, you're not just opting for a soft, durable, and stylish product. You're making a decision that positively impacts your health, supports fair trade, and promotes sustainable farming practices. With each organic cotton beach towel you purchase, you're taking a small but significant step toward a greener planet.

Below, we highlight seven standout brands offering organic cotton beach towels, combining functionality, style, and sustainability.

Boll & Branch

Known for its commitment to ethical sourcing, Boll & Branch offers plush, absorbent organic cotton beach towels. Its towels come in beautiful stripe designs, adding a pop of color to your beach outing.

Pile of folded towels from Boll & Branch

Courtesy of Boll & Branch

Coyuchi

With its super luxe Mediterranean Organic Towels, Coyuchi brings you a lightweight, fast-drying towel with a yarn-dyed stripe design. The brand emphasizes sustainability and fair-trade practices.

Pile of folded towels from Coyuchi

Courtesy of Coyuchi

Bhumi

Bhumi's organic cotton towels are made with high-quality, fair-trade certified cotton, offering great absorbency and durability along with peace of mind. The bath sheets are perfect for wrapping up on the beach, at the pool, or at home.

Bhumi towel on bathroom counter

Courtesy of Bhumi

Rawganique

This brand is recognized for its chemical-free promise and its organic cotton beach towels don’t disappoint. They are unbleached and undyed, ensuring an all-natural experience—perfect for your ocean-front nature communing.

Rawganique towels on rack with rock

Courtesy of Rawganique

Pottery Barn

The Porto Stripe Organic Cotton Beach Towel combines sustainability with elegance. The towel's soft, absorbent material and the classic striped design make it a must-have for beach lovers.

Towels on hangers inside home

Courtesy of Pottery Barn

Under the Canopy

Offering an array of eco-conscious home goods, Under the Canopy's organic beach towels come in trendy designs and vibrant colors, without compromising on ethical standards.

Towels sitting on counter in bedroom

Courtesy of Under the Canopy

West Elm

With a variety of sizes and colors, West Elm’s organic cotton towels are produced with care for both the environment and workers' health. The soft, absorbent towels are GOTS certified, ensuring the highest standards of organic production.

Folded towels from West Elm

Courtesy of West Elm

Jill Ettinger

Jill Ettinger

she/her

Jill Ettinger is a lifelong thrifter, a digital content strategist for some of the top impact media brands, and the co-founder of the popular digital media and e-commerce platform, Ethos, the premier online destination focused on elevated personal and planetary wellness, sustainable luxury, eco-travel, clean beauty, and green living. Jill lives in sunny Los Angeles with her daughter and their cat, Millie.

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