Most bulk towel enquiries come down to one early choice: pure cotton, or a polyester and cotton blend, usually called polycot. Neither is better in every case. The right answer depends on who uses the towel, how often it is washed, and what your buyers expect to feel when they pick it up.

How terry towels are made

Terry fabric is woven with two sets of warp yarns. One forms the flat base of the towel. The other is woven slack so it stands up as loops on the surface. Those loops are what make a towel absorbent: they add surface area that draws water away from skin.

The fibre in those loops decides how the towel behaves. This is where cotton and polycot part ways.

100% cotton terry

Cotton is a natural fibre that absorbs water readily and feels soft against skin. It is the standard for bath, hand, and face towels wherever comfort is the main concern.

• Absorbency: high. Cotton takes up water quickly and holds it.
• Hand feel: soft and natural, and it tends to stay that way with correct laundering.
• Heat tolerance: cotton withstands hot washes, which matters for hotels and healthcare laundries.
• Drying: slower than a blend, because the fibre holds more water.
• Shrinkage: some shrinkage in early washes is normal and should be allowed for in the size.

Polycot terry

Polycot blends polyester with cotton. Polyester is a strong synthetic fibre that absorbs very little water. Blending it with cotton changes the balance of the towel.

• Durability: polyester adds strength, so the towel stands up to frequent washing and heavy use.
• Drying: faster than pure cotton, on the line and in the dryer.
• Dimensional stability: blends generally shrink less and keep their shape.
• Absorbency: lower than pure cotton. The more polyester in the blend, the less water the towel takes up.
• Hand feel: a little less soft than pure cotton, though a good blend remains comfortable.

Which suits which buyer

Hotels, resorts, and spas usually specify pure cotton for guest-facing towels. Guests notice softness and absorbency first, and cotton delivers both.

Gyms and fitness chains often prefer polycot or a lighter cotton. Towels are used briefly, washed constantly, and need to dry fast between sessions.

Institutional buyers such as hostels, staff facilities, and large-volume laundries often choose polycot for its longer service life per towel.

Retail and private-label brands choose according to their positioning. A premium home range is normally pure cotton. A value or sports range may suit a blend.

Kitchens generally do best with cotton, which absorbs spills quickly, though polycot is used where durability is the priority.

Questions to ask before you decide

• How many wash cycles should the towel last?
• Will it be washed at high temperature or with bleach?
• How quickly must it dry between uses?
• What does the end user expect it to feel like?
• What must appear on the care label in your market? Fibre content must be declared accurately.

Test both

If you are unsure, ask for a sample of each in the same size and weight. Wash them several times, compare drying time and feel, and let the result decide.

Mansa Exim International supplies terry towels in both cotton and polycot, in the weight, size, and colour you specify. Explore our towel range or send us your requirement and we will quote on both options.

A vague enquiry gets a vague price. When a buyer writes "please quote for bath towels", a supplier has to guess the weight, size, quality, and branding, and the quotation that comes back cannot be compared with any other. A clear specification sheet fixes that. It takes a few minutes to write and it saves weeks of back and forth.

What a towel specification should cover

1. Towel type and use

State the product (bath, hand, face, gym, kitchen, or pool towel) and where it will be used: hotel rooms, spa treatments, retail shelves, a gym chain. The end use tells the supplier what matters most, whether softness, durability, or fast drying.

2. Size

Give the finished dimensions in centimetres or inches, for example 70 × 140 cm. Say whether the size is measured before or after washing, since cotton towels shrink a little in early washes.

3. Weight

State the GSM (grams per square metre), or the weight per piece in grams. Either works, as long as the size is fixed. If you are not sure, describe the feel you want and ask the supplier to propose a weight.

4. Composition

Specify 100% cotton or a polyester and cotton blend, and the blend ratio if you have one in mind. If yarn quality matters to you, say so: for example combed cotton, or ring-spun yarn.

5. Colour

White, or a dyed colour. For colours, give a reference such as a Pantone code or send a physical swatch. Describe any stripes or contrast borders.

6. Border and construction

Mention the border style you want (plain, dobby, or a jacquard design) and the hem finish. If you have an existing towel you like, send it or a clear photograph.

7. Branding

If the towels will carry your logo or name, say how: embroidery, or woven into the towel by jacquard. Share the artwork, its size, its position on the towel, and the thread or yarn colours.

8. Labels and packing

List what each towel should carry: a woven label, a care label, a hangtag, a band. State how the towels should be packed, for example individually bagged, or bundled in sets, and how many pieces per carton.

9. Quantity

Give the quantity per size and colour, and say whether this is a one-time order or a repeating programme. Volume affects price, so an honest estimate produces a more useful quotation.

10. Delivery terms and destination

Name the destination port or city and the Incoterm you prefer, such as FOB or CIF. State the date you need the goods.

11. Compliance and testing

If your market or your customer requires a particular certificate, test report, or labelling rule, list it at the start. It is far easier to plan for at quotation stage than after production.

A short example

Bath towel for hotel guest rooms. 70 × 140 cm finished size. 550 GSM. 100% cotton, white. Dobby border. Hotel name embroidered in one colour, 8 cm wide, centred above the border. Care label sewn in. Packed in polybags of five, export cartons. 3,000 pieces. CIF Jebel Ali. Required at destination by a stated date.

A few lines, and a supplier can price it accurately and make a matching sample.

What happens next

A good supplier will confirm the specification, point out anything that is unclear, and produce a sample for approval before bulk production begins. Approve the sample in writing, and keep it. It is the reference for the whole order.

Ready to send a specification? Use our Request a Quote form, which follows the same structure, or contact Mansa Exim International directly.

GSM is the first number most buyers ask for when they source towels, and it is also the number most often misunderstood. This guide explains what GSM measures, what it does not measure, and how to pick the right weight for the place your towels will be used.

What GSM means

GSM stands for grams per square metre. It is the weight of one square metre of the finished towel fabric. A towel with more cotton packed into each square metre has a higher GSM, and it will feel heavier and thicker in the hand.

You can check GSM yourself. Weigh the towel in grams, measure its length and width in metres, and divide the weight by the area. A towel that weighs 490 grams and measures 0.7 m by 1.4 m has an area of 0.98 square metres, so its GSM is 500.

General weight bands

There is no single global standard, but these bands are widely used across the trade as a working guide:

• 300 to 400 GSM: light towels that dry fast. Common for gym towels, kitchen towels, and travel or pool use.
• 400 to 600 GSM: medium weight. The usual range for everyday bath and hand towels in homes, mid-range hotels, and retail lines.
• 600 GSM and above: heavy, plush towels. Chosen for premium hotels, spas, and gift ranges where a rich hand feel matters most.

Heavier is not always better

A higher GSM towel absorbs more water and feels more luxurious, but it brings three costs that buyers should weigh before they order.

Drying time. A dense towel holds more water and takes longer to dry, on the line and in the tumble dryer. In a humid climate or a busy gym this matters every day.

Laundry cost. Commercial laundries usually charge by weight. A hotel that moves from 500 GSM to 650 GSM is paying to wash roughly thirty per cent more fabric on every cycle.

Freight. Towels are shipped by weight and volume. Heavier towels mean fewer pieces per carton and per container, which raises the landed cost per piece.

What GSM does not tell you

Two towels with the same GSM can perform very differently. The weight says nothing about the quality of the cotton, the type of yarn, the height and density of the loops, or how well the hems are stitched. A well-made 500 GSM towel in combed cotton will usually outlast a poorly made 600 GSM towel.

That is why GSM should sit alongside the rest of the specification: fibre composition, yarn type, size, border style, colour, and finishing. Always ask for a physical sample and weigh it, so the figure on the quotation matches the towel in your hand.

Matching GSM to the use

• Hotels and resorts: balance guest comfort against laundry cost. Many properties choose a medium to heavy bath towel and a lighter hand and face towel.
• Spas and wellness: softness against skin matters more than bulk. A medium weight in fine cotton often works better than the heaviest option.
• Gyms and fitness chains: light, quick-drying towels cope with high turnover and constant washing.
• Retail and private label: choose the weight that fits your price point and the promise on your packaging.
• Kitchens: a lighter towel that absorbs fast and dries fast is the practical choice.

Specify it in writing

When you request a quotation, state the GSM you want along with the size, composition, colour, and branding. A clear brief lets a supplier price accurately and produce a sample that matches.

Mansa Exim International supplies cotton and polycot terry towels to the buyer's specification, including the weight. See our bath towels, hand towels, and gym towels, or contact us with your required GSM and size for a quotation.