When preparing for your baby's arrival, having enough towels and washcloths is essential. Finding the best baby towels can take some time though. So to help, we created this list of the top 10 rated towels on the market today. Read on to discover which are the best baby washcloths and towels for your infant's needs.
Key Points For Busy Parents
All About Baby Bath Towels & Washcloths
Before we get into the reviews, let's talk some more about baby towels and washcloths in general. If you wish, you can skip this part and scroll down to reviews.
What are Baby Towels and Why are They Needed
To put it plainly, baby towels are small towels explicitly made for babies. That said, they are large enough to wrap around your baby for warmth and comfort.
Although you may already have plenty of towels at home, it's important to buy some individual soft towels for your little one.
Babies are born with sensitive skin, and some are more sensitive than others. A study has shown that a skin thickness gradually increases after two months. But even adults can have a sensitive (thick) skin.
All babies enjoy feeling something soft and less irritating against their skin for washing up and drying off.
The baby washcloths are usually also softer than the average washcloth, which may further soothe your child as you get them clean.
Towels were probably invented in Turkey in the 17th century. They were generally unaffordable to most people before 19th century though. It's sometimes nice to think of luxuries that our little ones in modern society can enjoy.
Baby Bath Towel & Washcloth Sizing
Baby towels and washcloths come in a variety of sizes. There is no perfect size, so it may benefit you more to go with what is right for your baby in particular.
Newborns might not be too comfortable in something that is overly large. For older babies, it helps if the towel actually covers them well enough so that nothing is exposed when you take them out of the bath.
When it comes to the washcloths, there are some that are sized for newborns or premature infants. These might be too small for the average baby though. You may want to consider going for washcloths sized around 10x10" or 12x12".
How Many Best Baby Towels Should A Parent Buy?
A good thing about baby towels and washcloths is that many parents use them for things other than bath time. They can be useful, for instance, for wiping your baby down after a meal or in place of regular wipes.
Something good to keep in mind is that they are washable, so you don't need as many towels as you may think. It depends on how often you do laundry of course.
When it comes to towels, it doesn't hurt to go for two or three so that you have one ready while the other one is being washed.
Washcloths typically come in packs of five or six, so one box may be more than enough to start out with for one baby.
Storage
The ability to easily store your baby's things can be a useful feature no matter what type of product you have.
For towels, it may help to find something that you can easily fold or roll to keep out of the way when not in use.
Also, ones that can collapse down to a small size may help for travel purposes as they can store in a diaper bag without taking the room from something else.
Organic baby Towels
Many towels labeled "organic" use organic cotton, but have an oldfashioned (not in a good sense) manufacturing process.
As I've noted before, towels were expensive before the industrialization. There were reasons for that. You probably can't buy a 100% organic towel.
That said, you can buy towels that meet some worldwide standards. One example is the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS ensures that the baby towel uses organic cotton and no chemicals on the banned list are used.
Features to Look For
Baby towels come in various designs, and they are made using many different materials. What may work for one may not work for another. So you may want to consider all these features before you choose a towel or washcloth for your baby.
Material
Towels are usually made of terrycloth, waffle fabric or microfiber.
The most commonly used raw material to make terrycloths are cotton and polyester. That said, baby towels are often made of more exotic materials like bamboo.
Many harmful chemicals are commonly used to bleach, wash, and dye the towel fabric. It's part of the manufacturing process and doesn't mean that the material is harmful.
It's always a good idea to wash the baby towels before using them for the first time though. You don't know where they have been packed. Anti-mold substances like dimethyl fumarate are increasingly banned, but you never really know. As recently as 2007 a sofa manufacturer used the chemical to fight mold.
Bamboo Towels
Bamboo is material that is often used to make baby towels. The textiles are produced by mechanical crushing and retting. Quite often rayon is used to make the towels though.
Rayon is a synthetic material made from cellulose that is extracted from bamboo.
The Federal Trade Commission has ruled that unless the yarn has directly made of bamboo, it should be called rayon.
Why so many baby towels use bamboo?
One reason is probably a chance to advertise these towels differently. For example, they are claimed to be antibacterial. Bamboo has some antimicrobic properties, but most of it is probably lost in the manufacturing process. That said, the topic remains controversial. At least there doesn't seem to have a reason not to buy them unless.
Absorbency
You want to buy a towel that can dry your baby off fast so that he's not cold when you pull her out of the tub.
The best baby washcloths can soak in the water at a good speed too. You can start washing up your baby quickly before he gets too fussy.
Ease of Cleaning
After having children, you'll have less time...surprise. When you get busy, being able to throw towels in the laundry and for them to come out soft and clean can ease a lot of stress.
Some towels may be prone to shrinking in the wash, so be sure to read the label. You can also test one towel (if you bought a pack) to see if there is any shrinkage or loss of softness.
Durability
Since baby towels and washcloths will be used frequently, it helps to find some that can withstand such heavy use.
10 Best Baby Towels & Washcloths For DadProgress Reviewed
Size: 35"x35"
Material: Organic Bamboo
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Size: 30"x30"
Material: Cotton
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Size: 40"x28"
Material: Organic bamboo
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Size: 33"x33"
Material: Bamboo
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Size: 35"x35"
Material: Organic Bamboo
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Size: 12"x12"
Material: Organic cotton
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Size: 10"x10"
Material: Bamboo
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Size: 10"x10"
Material: Rayon From Bamboo
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Size: 12"x12"
Material: Cotton
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Last Updated on October 21, 2019