Looking for ethical and eco-friendly towels in the UK for the bath, shower, or beyond? Here are my top ethical and sustainable picks – from organic cotton to the zero-waste ones made from waste yarn, and more.

Many of us are busy trying to make our bathroom more sustainable. But did you know that your environmental efforts don’t have to stop at switching to bamboo toothbrushes and solid shampoo bars? Yes, if you need to replace your towels, then you can buy eco-friendly towels that are kind to both the environment and the workers who made them.

It can be a bit of a sustainable minefield trying to work out what products are actually eco-friendly and ethical (spoiler: even in the ethical towel market there’s a lot of greenwashing). As such, I’ve done the leg work for you and rounded up my favourite sustainable towels.

What To Look For In An Eco-Friendly Towel

When asking what towels are eco-friendly, there are a few things you can look out for. Organic cotton is a better choice than regular cotton. This is because regular cotton requires heavy pesticide use that can contaminate the soil, land, and water.

For peace of mind, look for external certification, such as Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified cotton. This means that the entire textile supply chain is backed up by independent certification, so you can be sure you aren’t being greenwashed.

OEKO-TEX® certified cotton is another good choice to look out for. This means the product has been tested at all stages of production for harmful substances. This ensures that workers are working in a safe environment and that the product does not discharge any harmful chemicals either in the production stage or at home.

You might come across BCI cotton, which positions itself as a sustainable alternative. I personally avoid BCI cotton, as it turns out it isn’t a great ethical choice.

Some brands have started to use leftover yarn from making other products to make towels. This is a great zero-waste and low-impact eco-friendly option, which I’d love to see more of.

Bamboo is commonly marketed as an eco-friendly fabric choice. However bamboo can be problematic. Whilst bamboo is faster-growing and requires fewer chemicals and water to grow, it is chemically intensive to turn woody bamboo into soft fabrics. This process can be harmful to both workers and the environment.

I haven’t featured any bamboo towel brands in this guide. This is because I couldn’t verify that the bamboo towel brands were making bamboo fibre responsibly.

If you specifically want bamboo towels, then look for brands that prioritise the safety of their workers. Also, look for those that have robust chemical management plans in place to minimise the environmental impact of the industrial effluent.

Guide To Eco-Friendly Towels In The UK

Whilst it can indeed be a minefield separating the green from the greenwash, to help make it easy for you, I’ve put together a guide to my favourite eco-friendly towels. I’ve particularly looked for ethical brands producing independently certified organic cotton towels. I’ve also found brands using sustainable materials such as waste yarns.

On to the towels!

Cottsbury

• Made from: 100% organic cotton
• Made in: India
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £23
• Available from: Cottsbury

Cottsbury towels are made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, so are grown without any harmful pesticides. And as well as being organic, its towels are made from high-quality, long-staple fibres for softness, absorbency and durability.

Cottsbury makes all of its towels in Fairtrade Certified factories in India. Independent audits and regular factory visits helping to ensure fair working conditions and responsible practices are upheld throughout the supply chain.

Even the packaging has been carefully considered: towels arrive in reusable organic cotton bags made from surplus fabric from other Cottsbury products, helping to reduce waste.

Get 15% off at Cottsbury when you use the exclusive discount code MORALFIBRES15 at the checkout.

Dock & Bay

• Made from: 100% recycled, post-consumer plastic bottles
• Made in: China
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £18
• Available from: Ethical Superstore

As a certified B-Corp – a company that has been independently verified as meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability – Dock & Bay is committed to ensuring that almost all of its products are made from 100% recycled, post-consumer plastic bottles.

Dock & Bay say that there are at least 5 plastic bottles recycled into each foldable bag. What’s more, all of its products are made by suppliers who are certified by the Global Recycled Standard.

Available as bath towels or beach towels, each towel is fast-drying and packs down small into the free matching bag provided.

Do note that these types of recycled plastic fabrics shed microplastics when washed. Wash it in a Guppyfriend washing bag (from Ethical Superstore) or similar – to help stop microplastics from leaching into the water.

Wild & Stone

• Made from: GOTS-certified organic cotton
• Made in: India
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £14.95
• Available from: Ethical Superstore

Wild & Stone’s hand towels are fairly made in India from organic cotton that is both GOTS and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified. To minimise its carbon footprint, Wild & Stone uses sea shipments, rather than air, for all of its products.

All of their lovely hand towels are packaged in fully recyclable, plastic-free packaging. And what’s more, a percentage of each purchase is donated to the Marine Conservation Society.

House Of Hampton

• Made from: recycled cotton
• Made in: India
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £10.99 for a set of two
• Available from: Wayfair

If you’re looking for recycled towels, try these ones from House of Hampton. They are made using a mix of colourful recycled cotton remnant threads, creating beautiful one-of-a-kind designs from a material that might otherwise go to waste. Plus they come in at a budget-friendly price.

These are available in bath and hand towel sizes, meaning you can create a coordinated look in your bathroom.

Dip & Doze

• Made from: 100% organic Fairtrade cotton
• Made in: India
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £25
• Available from: Buy Me Once

Ethically made from 100% organic Fairtrade cotton, Dip & Doze’s considered range of eco-friendly towels focuses on the details that make a difference.

Its organic cotton is sourced from a non-profit organisation that helps small-scale family farms improve profits through sustainable agriculture. Here, no harmful chemical pesticides, fertilisers or genetically modified organisms are used.

Plus as Dip & Doze is Fairtrade certified, this means its cotton is certified throughout the whole supply chain. Dip & Doze say each product is always consciously crafted with care by some of the world’s best makers, and its partners produce according to the highest ethical standards from seed to final garment.

Available in a range of sizes – from hand towels to bath towels and more – there’s something for every circumstance.

Natural Collection

• Made from: GOTS-certified organic cotton
• Made in: Turkey
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £8.50
• Available from: Ethical Superstore

Super soft, and a great size for drying off after a relaxing shower or bath, these eco-friendly GOTS-Certified cotton towels from Natural Collection will soon be a favourite in your house.

Ethically made in Turkey, these towels come in a range of sizes and coordinating colours. This means you can mix and match your towels, go for a coordinating look, or have a different colour for each member of the family.

Luks

• Made from: GOTS-certified organic cotton
• Made in: Turkey
• Vegan-friendly: yes
• Price: from £25
• Available from: Buy Me Once

Luks beautiful handcrafted bath towels are handmade ethically in Turkey from GOTS-certified organic cotton. As a lightweight towel, rather than fluffy bath towels, the fabric itself is lightweight and quick drying.

Whilst it does take some getting used to a thin towel, if you’re used to the fluffy variety, you’ll soon come around to the pros of these types of towels. I’m a convert! I love that they don’t take long to dry. Damp towels hanging around your bathroom for hours soon become a thing of the past.

Storing your towels also takes up less room in your home – which is great if you live in a small space. The Peshtemal towel, for example, is as big as a bath sheet but it rolls or folds down to about a quarter of the size. This also means they are great for travelling or for trips to the beach or wild swimming – taking up much less space in your bag. More room for snacks!

Available from Buy Me Once, these eco-friendly towels are such high quality that they have a 20-year replacement or repair guarantee should your towels develop a fault.

Use the discount code HIGH5 to get £5 off any order over £60 at Buy Me Once.

More Sustainable Bathroom Inspiration

I hope this roundup of eco-friendly and ethical towels is helpful! If you’re looking for more ways to be sustainable in the bathroom I’ve got tons of top tips.

• Try my guide to plastic-free bubble bath if you have all things bathing in mind.
• My big guide to eco-friendly toilet paper reviews lots of different plastic-free loo roll options.
• Try my guide to zero-waste bathroom swaps for heaps of ideas to reduce your plastic usage.
• And if you are replacing any old towels, I’ve put together a handy guide on what to do with your old towels – including clever upcycling ideas and where to recycle them in the UK.

Wendy Graham