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Does Hair Towel Fabric Matter? Terry, Microfibre, Bamboo & Cotton Explained

Does Hair Towel Fabric Matter? Terry, Microfibre, Bamboo & Cotton Explained

by Carla Saull in News

A hair towel, a hair wrap, or a turban; which is best?

When it comes to drying hair, most of us focus on what we’re using — a hair towel, hair wrap, or turban — rather than what it’s made from.

But hair is at its most fragile when wet, and the fabric that touches it can influence everything from frizz and breakage to comfort, drying time, and how your hair feels once dry.

In this guide, we explore the most common hair towel fabrics — terry towelling, microfibre, bamboo and cotton — and what’s worth knowing about each.

Terry towelling: familiar and absorbent, but not always gentle

Traditional bath towels and many older-style hair towels are made from terry towelling — a fabric with raised loops designed to absorb large amounts of water quickly.

What terry towelling does well

  • Highly absorbent

  • Durable

  • Familiar and widely available

What to be aware of

  • The looped structure can catch or roughen the hair cuticle

  • Can create friction on wet hair

  • Often bulky and heavy when wrapped on the head

For some hair types this may be fine, but for anyone prone to frizz, breakage, or scalp sensitivity, terry towelling isn’t always the most comfortable option.

Microfibre hair towels: fast-drying, but highly variable

Microfibre hair towels have become popular because they absorb water quickly and are often marketed as a gentler alternative to terry towelling.

What microfibre can offer

  • Very fast absorption

  • Lightweight compared to terry

  • Often shaped into wraps or turbans

What varies widely

  • Fibre density and softness

  • How much friction the fabric creates

  • How the towel feels over time

Some microfibre towels feel smooth and soft; others can grip the hair more aggressively. Much depends on how the microfibre is manufactured, rather than the label alone.

A note on microfibre and the environment

From an environmental point of view, most microfibre towels are made entirely from synthetic fibres. These fabrics can shed microplastics during washing, which may persist in waterways and the wider environment.

This is different from fabrics that are predominantly natural fibres, with a small synthetic component added for structure or durability. In those cases, the synthetic content is minimal and serves a specific functional purpose rather than forming the bulk of the fabric.

Bamboo hair towels: plant-based, but process matters

Bamboo is often positioned as an eco-friendly material, and as a plant, bamboo does grow quickly and with relatively low inputs.

However, most bamboo fabric used in textiles is actually bamboo viscose or rayon, which involves significant chemical processing.

What’s helpful to know

  • Bamboo towels are usually viscose-based

  • The processing removes many of the plant’s original properties

  • Antibacterial claims don’t generally apply once processed

  • Environmental impact depends heavily on manufacturing methods and certifications

More responsible bamboo fabrics do exist, but transparency and traceability matter. Bamboo isn’t inherently good or bad. How it’s made makes the difference.

Cotton hair towels: breathable, familiar, and widely used

Cotton has been used in textiles for centuries and remains one of the most common materials for towels and clothing.

What cotton does well

  • Breathable and comfortable

  • Familiar against the skin and scalp

  • Versatile in different weaves and weights

However, not all cotton fabrics behave the same way on wet hair. Weave and finish matter as much as the fibre itself.

Jersey cotton: why knit structure changes everything

Jersey cotton — the same soft knit used in quality clothing — behaves very differently from woven cotton or terry towelling.

Why jersey cotton works well for hair

  • Smooth surface helps reduce friction

  • Absorbs water gently rather than aggressively

  • Naturally flexible and comfortable to wear wrapped

  • Allows hair to dry without being pulled or compressed

This is why our jersey cotton hair towels are chosen by people looking for a calmer, more hair-kind drying routine.

Our jersey cotton hair towels are also lightweight and quick-drying. They weigh around a third of a traditional terry towel, which makes them more comfortable to wear wrapped on the head and easier to dry between uses — particularly helpful if you wash your hair frequently, or travel.

A note on elastane (and why a small percentage matters)

Many modern jersey cotton fabrics include a small percentage of elastane or another stabilising fibre to help improve shape retention and durability over time.

Our towels are made from 95% organic cotton and 5% elastane. The elastane isn’t added for stretchiness or performance claims, but for function and longevity.

It helps the towel to:

  • retain its shape over time

  • withstand repeated washing and regular use

  • wrap securely without buttons or fasteners

  • stay in place without tightly twisting wet hair

The organic cotton makes up the vast majority of the fabric. Compared to conventional cotton, organic cotton is typically less water-intensive to grow and avoids the use of harmful pesticides.

We go a step further by using certified organic jersey cotton, chosen not only for how it behaves on hair, but also for the additional assurances it provides around farming practices and supply chain standards.

So, which hair towel fabric is best?

There isn’t a single “best” fabric for everyone, but there are factors that matter more than marketing terms.

When choosing a hair towel, it’s worth considering:

  • how much friction the fabric creates

  • how it behaves on wet hair

  • how it’s made, not just what it’s called

  • whether it allows hair to dry naturally and comfortably

For many people, a soft, breathable fabric with a smooth surface feels like the most balanced option.

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What Is a Hair Wrap? And Is It Better Than a Hair Towel?

What Is a Hair Wrap? And Is It Better Than a Hair Towel?

Hair wrap vs hair towel: what’s the difference? A hair wrap is a fabric wrap designed to hold wet hair after washing. It’s typically twisted or secured on top of the head to keep hair contained while it dries. Hair wraps are often used to: Absorb excess water after washing Reduce dripping Keep hair out of the face while getting dressed or doing skincare They’re sometimes confused with hair towels, but the two aren’t always the same thing — and that distinction matters for hair health. That overlap is normal — what matters most is the fabric and the way it treats wet hair. The terms hair wrap and hair towel are often used interchangeably, but they describe slightly different things. A traditional hair wrap: Is often made from microfibre or terry Focuses on containment rather than hair care Can be quite structured or elasticated A hair towel, by contrast: Prioritises absorbency and gentleness Uses softer, more breathable fabrics Supports the hair’s natural drying process At Good Wash Day, our products are technically hair towels, but many customers refer to them as hair wraps because of how they’re worn. That overlap is normal — what matters most is the fabric and the way it treats wet hair. Why fabric choice matters more than the name Hair is at its most vulnerable when wet. Rough or highly absorbent fabrics can: Create friction Disrupt the cuticle Increase frizz and breakage Many conventional hair wraps are made from microfibre or looped terry, which can grip the hair too aggressively. Our hair towels (often called hair wraps by customers) are made from organic jersey cotton — the same soft, smooth knit used in high-quality clothing. This matters because jersey cotton: Gently absorbs water without pulling Reduces friction against the hair shaft Allows hair to dry naturally, not aggressively A note on fasteners and twisting Many traditional hair wraps rely on buttons, elastics, or tight fasteners to stay in place. These designs often encourage hair to be twisted tightly while wet, which is when hair is at its most fragile. Our hair towels are designed differently. There’s no button, loop, or fastener, and no need to aggressively twist or coil the hair to secure it. Instead, the soft stretch of the jersey fabric allows the towel to wrap and stay in place more naturally, reducing unnecessary tension on wet hair. The result is hair that feels calmer, smoother, and more manageable once dry. Are hair wraps good for curly or wavy hair? Yes — if the fabric is right. For curly, wavy, or textured hair, a soft hair towel or wrap is often used for plopping. This technique supports curl formation while minimising frizz. A breathable, stretch jersey fabric works particularly well because it: Holds curls without crushing them Absorbs water evenly Avoids the roughness that can disturb curl patterns This is why many curly-haired customers use our towels as their everyday hair wrap. Are hair wraps suitable for all hair types? A well-designed hair wrap or towel should work for: Straight hair Fine or fragile hair Thick or long hair Curly and coily textures The key is choosing one that doesn’t rely on tight elastics, heavy weight, or abrasive fabric. That’s also why we offer both regular and extra-large hair towels — so the wrap fits your hair, not the other way around. Hair wraps and hair loss For people experiencing hair thinning or hair loss — whether related to menopause, illness, medication, or stress — how hair is handled can feel particularly important. At these times, many people look for ways to: be gentler with wet hair avoid unnecessary tension or pulling reduce friction during everyday routines While no towel or wrap can change underlying causes of hair loss, choosing a soft, breathable fabric and avoiding tight fasteners or aggressive twisting can help reduce unnecessary stress on fragile hair. This is one of the reasons our hair towels are often chosen by people looking for a calmer, more considered approach to hair care during periods of change.You may also find our guides on menopause and hair and nutrition for healthy hair helpful. So… should you use a hair wrap or a hair towel? In practice, the best option is a hair towel that functions like a wrap: Soft, breathable fabric Easy to secure Gentle on wet hair If you’re searching for a hair wrap, what you’re often really looking for is a hair-kind way to dry your hair without frizz or damage. That’s exactly what we designed ours to do. Explore our hair towels (also known as hair wraps) If you’d like to see the difference fabric makes, you can explore our full range of organic jersey cotton hair towels here: Organic Hair Towels & Hair Wraps  

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Good Wash Day on BBC Dragons’ Den

Good Wash Day on BBC Dragons’ Den

I’ve lost count of the number of times people have uttered those words to me over the last four years! My response was always "absolutely no way, I could never do that". Yet here we are… How did this happen?! Last April, I opened my Instagram DMs to find a message from a BBC producer asking if I would like to have a chat about applying for the corporation’s ‘factual entertainment’ show. My gut feeling was once again, "absolutely no way", and I sat on it for a while. I then decided to at least have a phone call with the producer—I had nothing to lose! While that first call piqued my interest, I was still adamant that it wasn’t for me: vulnerability, stress, and being the centre of attention? No thank you!   I did, however, appreciate that going through the process and being forced to pore over my business in forensic detail could only be a good thing, so I agreed to the next step… There are so many next steps in the application process, and it’s exactly the same whether you’ve applied under your own steam or have been invited to apply—there are no shortcuts! The steps included: that initial call a second call a pre-recorded pitch (these used to be in person in an actual TV studio before COVID, but applicants now send in a video) a business plan numerous forms and questionnaires a recorded one-hour ‘interview’ due diligence (anyone who has been on the show will likely be shuddering at those words; it is, as you would expect, exhaustive and exhausting, but should be embraced because, again, that level of analysis is no bad thing, especially if you run an ethical business!) a call with a third-party specialist to discuss emotional wellbeing Early on, and before I’d signed an NDA, I tracked down around ten people who had been on the show to ask if they would share their experiences. I do like to do extensive research, and this felt like a huge decision—this was my own personal version of due diligence, I suppose. They were all so generous with their time; one even called me from an airport just before boarding a flight. I found another so impressive I offered to buy her lunch, and she said yes! We’ve met up a few times since, and she has been such a cheerleader for me and my business. Thank you, Hannah! The BBC was really good at telling me what to expect at each step. It starts to get very real when they inform you that you’ve passed another stage, and that your business will be discussed at meetings with an ever-increasing number of senior producers, culminating in the series producer giving the green light (or not). Even after passing this gruelling process with flying colours, I was still unsure if I’d accept a filming date! After all, I couldn’t possibly actually DO IT! At the grand old age of 55, I had never pitched a business before, or even given a presentation, so pitching on a show with no do-overs, to five highly successful entrepreneurs (and knowing that millions of people would eventually watch me) felt more terrifying than I can convey. I was on a family holiday in the South of France when I was finally offered a filming slot. We were scrambling to come up with a solution to get me home and prepped earlier than our trip was due to end, but we couldn’t make it work. It was towards the end of the filming schedule, and I was absolutely gutted—it looked like I wouldn’t be on the show after all. That told me everything I needed to know. I wanted to be on Dragons’ Den! The following week, I was offered another slot! I had nine days’ notice to prepare* for filming in Manchester, the other end of the country from me. It was the last day on set for season 22. My last chance. *I hadn’t even written my pitch, let alone learned it; nor had I memorised my numbers—because up until then, I wasn’t actually going to go on the show! Cue action stations! I voice recorded my pitch in bite-sized chunks and listened to it for hours every day. I wrote all my numbers onto revision cards and stuck them on the fridge. And placed them on my dressing table. And in my handbag. And in the car. I rewatched previous episodes of the show (wow; it used to be brutal) and wrote down questions I wouldn’t at that point be able to answer off the top of my head. I revised these daily. I wrote my forecast in such a way that it all stacked up against my growth to date, and my gross and net profit margins. I valued my business based on its EBITDA. Basically, I made the numbers as robust and factual as possible. While all this was going on during those NINE DAYS, I was in constant contact with the BBC about my pitch script, props, and setup. I also asked Julie—an Instagram superstar who loves my towels—if she fancied coming with me, as in actually into the Den with me. She didn’t miss a beat before saying YES! (Note to us all: be more Julie!) Filming Day The day before my filming date, James drove us from Winchester to Manchester so that I could rehearse my pitch over and over in the car. We dropped my towels and other display items off at the studio and went to meet Julie at our hotel (we had never met in person before!).The following morning, we had to be at the studio at 7 a.m. It’s impossible to convey the size of the knot in my stomach! In fact, it would be more accurate to say "there’s a stomach in my knot". I liken it to waiting to have surgery; people kept coming to ask me to do increasingly scary things (at least nobody drew on me). My producer asked me to recite my pitch to him, and whilst I absolutely knew it, I couldn’t get past the first paragraph. Then he told me about 20 people (floor producer, lighting, sound, etc.) were about to rock up, and they’d expect me to get it all out: no pressure, Ronan. And just like that, it flowed perfectly. I then filmed face-to-camera pieces, and walking out of ‘the lift’. Hair and makeup brought some light relief and a lovely chat with makeup artist Nancy, who knew all about the concept of using T-shirt fabric to dry hair. I was the last of three businesses to go into the Den on that last day of filming, entering at around 11:45. I walked out at around 13:15—an hour and a half of grilling! I can’t tell you the outcome. You’ll have to wait to watch it on the 27th (I haven’t seen the final edit, by the way, and I’ll be watching it with around 100 people at a WATCH PARTY, which is, apparently, a thing!) This is getting super long, so I’ll save the rest for Part Two…

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A Silver State Of Mind - Good Wash Day

A Silver State Of Mind

Thank you Julie, aka Instagram's The Fiftyist, for this fabulous guest blogpost and accompanying video. It's an emotional read, and I hope you find it as empowering as I did! If you're thinking of transitioning to your natural silvers you might want to check out this previous blogpost about caring for silver hair. Over to you, Julie... Have you decided to ditch the hair dye and transition to silver hair, then talked yourself out of it because you’re too scared?Well, I can reassure you that you are not alone—I’ve been there too! It’s such a big decision because grey hair has so many negative connotations.So, what would it take for you to finally reach your point of no return, step oversociety’s grey wall of shame and begin a transition from dyed to silver hair?I thought I’d share my thoughts on how I reached a Silver State of Mind…It’s summer, 2018, and I’m scared.I have to transition because I’ve become increasingly allergic to hair dye and am worried that soon I’ll have a more serious reaction.The fear I feel is largely to do with the acceptance of others; I don’t know how people will view me with grey hair.Plainly and simply, I think I will look old, and that’s because historically, society says I will.Yet this need to stop the merry-go-round of dyeing is overwhelming. It feels like the right thing to do, and it is, but I do nothing, for a long time.A key issue is that society starts to throw a giant invisibility cloak around women as they age. They become gradually less visible on TV and in the media in general. Youth is prized above all else, and despite the value of the ‘grey pound’ (such a sad term), advertising for health and beauty, fashion and fitness products are invariably aimed at young people. Value is placed with youth, not the youthful. There is embarrassment and shame about having grey hair. In more recent times, there have been improvements but there is still such a long way to go.Back in 2018, I’m deeply worried that I will become invisible, ignored, undervalued.The moment that changes everything for me is when I start to find, on social media, a few beautiful and famous models, actresses and activists who’ve taken this giant step. Although many are beautiful and would literally look good with green hair and wearing a paper bag, I feel that times are changing. Then I come across a small group of Silver Sisters on Instagram who are not famous, yet have taken the step and transitioned. I am elated. I can suddenly see myself—they are me; I am them.And they look amazing! They are glamorous, elegant, fun, quirky, brave and SILVER. And they are normal, just like me. I’m at the end of my tether with my allergies to the dye and this is the push I need. Suddenly all is possible—I know I can do it now. There are visible silver-haired women out there, confidently owning their natural hair colour. I take a deep breath and stop dyeing my hair. This is my moment of decision, but how do I keep going after my first hairdressing appointment passes and I see the first signs of silver peeking through?Well, I soon find out what it takes... It takes…bravery, confidence and a touch of sass. To be brave in the inimitable words of Brene Brown I must make myself vulnerable. Stepping into the unknown, even in such a small way, exposes my inner core to the world. I’m on Instagram by now, and although my family and friends are supportive, the comments online from others can be thoughtless and cold. I hurt a little inside at times, but I soon realise the trick is to totally ignore rudeness or give as little information as I can. If I’m feeling anxious, I pretend to be confident, and it works. Here and there I cultivate a dash of sass too – it helps to be bold!I learn that it takes… patience. The months are long but remembering how unbelievably fed up I was with the fortnightly root touch-ups and 6-weekly hair appointments spurs me on (along with the extra money I’ve saved!).It takes… realising that I am happy with myself regardless of my hair colour, because it sure as heck doesn’t define me. This acceptance is a huge step on the journey and one that I am so proud of. By the final months, I am pushing through to the end confidently, feeling fabulous and owning my long silver hair and new look in a way I never thought possible.I’m trying new colours and makeup that wouldn’t have suited me with my old unnatural colour but suit me with silver. I’m learning how to look after silver hair with sulphate free products and am regularly using my wonderful hair towel from Karen at Good Wash Day to keep my silvers soft and shiny.I’ve made thousands of new connections on Instagram and am part of a tribe of women who are all in this together—it’s a remarkable feeling.And, ultimately, what spurs me to the final trim of my dyed, dead ends is realising that in losing them, I no longer subscribe to the old manipulative outlook on grey hair. I’m refusing to wear society’s invisibility cloak. By ditching the dye I’m making the statement that I refuse to be side-lined. I’m here. I’m visible. It feels amazing. I’ve attained a Silver State of Mind. So… if this was my journey, it can certainly be yours. Why not talk yourself into it again, get sassy and go for it?

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