We ask a lot of our beach towels. They protect us from sand and sun. They dry us off after a swim. They stand guard on our patch of beachside real estate (or poolside lounger). We throw them on over our swimmers as a nod to modesty if we travel more than a block from the sand.
If we’re lucky, they’re also soft and sturdy and kind of stylish. Here are some of the best beach towels to invest in this summer.
16 of the best beach towels we’re loving this summer
Hommey
Hommey’s beach towels are super-sized and sweetly striped, with colours inspired by wobbly childhood treats. They come from a range of dessert-themed towels that also includes Jelly and Rocky Road. Like the rest of Hommey’s towel range, they’re extra plush and made from 100-per-cent cotton. $89Elka Collective
$99
Elka Collective is the Melbourne brand that designs timeless yet contemporary garments that you’ll just keep reaching for. This season, the label moves into the towelling space with a monogram style fabricated in a lush French terry cotton. Choose from a chocolate or ecru hue – and pair it with matching beach shorts.Baina
Baina founders Bailey Meredith and Anna Fahey set out to build a brand of “curated towelling”. The brand’s pool towels come in signature checkerboard styles, as well as stripes. The Willis towel in a sand and black colourway offers a punchy interpretation of art deco tiling. Double-looped terry cloth construction makes it especially soft and absorbent. $190Sage & Clare
Sage & Clare is known for its vibrant, eclectic designs – bright beacons in a sea of neutral interior trends. And its ultra-plush bath sheets are no exception. Made from a high-grade terry towelling (that feels luxurious on the skin), you can choose from hues of palm, rosewater, desert or mauve, complete with bohemian fringed edges. $89Citta
Citta is the Kiwi design house making beautiful homewares and textiles to elevate your everyday environment. There’s the Cabin towel for a lightweight, quick-drying alternative to a traditional towel, in a warm-hued, nostalgic plaid. But there’s also the plush, striped Tivoli beach towel made from high quality materials that offer a soft feel. $90Hakea
Look, this offering from Byron Bay’s Hakea calls itself a linen beach blanket, but it’s also perfectly legitimate to use as a towel, sarong or toga, so let’s not get caught up in semantics. Made from 100-per-cent linen, these beach blankets get softer with each wear. They scrunch down pretty small in your beach bag, too. $90Sand Society
Like all Sand Society towels, the Iced Coffee is made from 20 post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and promises to be super-absorbent and sand-free – even if you aren’t. Designed in Australia, Iced Coffee features an understated neutral, checker-board print background think Queen's Gambit but poolside. $70Venroy
Minimalist colour blocking makes Sydney label Venroy’s woven terry border towel a fresh, no-nonsense option for poolside lounging. The brand started in 2011 with a run of swim shorts, so the people behind it have put a lot of thought into looking good near water. $150Clothing the Gaps
The Gathering blanket from Clothing the Gaps is designed by Gunditjmara artist Laura Thompson on Wurundjeri Country. One side is inspired by traditional possum-skin cloaks and the other celebrates Aboriginal language groups. At 200 centimetres by 150 centimetres, it’s also supersized and quick-drying. $130Kobn
All towels from Melbourne brand Kobn are Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified, meaning they meet certain criteria for organic fibre production as well as ecological and fairtrade concerns. They’re also spunky and stripey, mixing warm neutral tones with bolds, neons and brights. $110
The Beach People
Looking to bliss out 1970s-style, dig into your astrology charts and maybe eat a melting Golden Gaytime while you wiggle your toes in the sand? The Lune round towel may be the companion for you. Soft, circular and luxuriously fringed, it’s designed in Australia by The Beach People. $109Mayde
Aussie towel juggernaut Mayde offers a collection of beach towels in bright colours and patterns. Made in Turkey from organically produced Buldan cotton, the Rainbow towel boasts muted retro pastels and a bobbly weave. $130Business and Pleasure Co
Business and Pleasure Co is an Aussie go-to for beach accessories such as umbrellas, coolers, chairs and towels. The velvety beach towel promises a luxury feel with hand-loomed cotton towelling, and a scalloped edge guarantees warm summer vibes. $99Binalong Beach & Co
Want a hefty weave with fine yarn in classic monochrome? The Waubs beach towel from Tasmania’s Binalong Beach & Co just might fit the bill. Named for a stretch of coast that hosts regular fairy penguin parades, it’s unsurprisingly black and white. $85Dritimes
Like all towels from Gold Coast label Dritimes, this stripy number promises to get you dry five times faster than a regular towel. It’s also pretty lightweight, so it can easily double as a gym or travel towel. $70This article was originally published on December 1, 2020 and has since been updated to reflect new styles and pricing.
Additional reporting by Simone Richardson.
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