Bath towel sizes may not be something you’ve thought about before, but they can be crucial, depending on what type of body you have. When shopping for new towels, you may want to find something exciting and different.
Or, you encountered a lovely towel that was a great size, but you haven’t been able to find it anywhere again. Knowing the general measurements of the different types of towels available may help you determine what you are looking for in a bath towel.
People needing a large towel may have struggled to find a towel that meets their body type. Those who are plus-size or want more coverage may also have been frustrated by the guessing game with towel dimensions.
Once you know what sizes are out there and the terms for each, you may find it easier to get the sort of towel you need.
Bath Towel Dimensions: A Summary
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There are generally three sizes of bath towels (including bath sheets): standard bath towels, bath sheets, and extra-large bath sheets and towels.
There are likely to be more custom sizes if you look deeper into the market, but these are going to be the standard sizes you can find in everyday stores. These sizes do have significant differences in their measurements.
Depending on the brand and specific towel, you can have over a ten-inch discrepancy between one size and the other. Below is a list of the standard available towel measurements.
- Standard Bath Towel: Average size is 56 inches long by 24 inches wide (142 x 60 cm)
- Bath Sheet: Averages at 60 inches long by 36 inches wide (152 x 90 cm)
- Extra-Large Bath Sheet: Can go up to 80 inches long by 40 inches wide (200 x 100 cm)
Now, these averages are not standardized among different companies. Some companies will offer smaller or larger sizes—or nothing but the standard bath towel—so check the product measurements when you buy.
Bath Towel Sizes in Detail
Bath towels have their origins in Turkey, specifically in Turkish baths. Weavers invented them in the 1600s, though towels would not become affordable for the general public until 200 years later.
The growth of the cotton trade and the rise of industrialization led to towels becoming popular. As time has gone on, more sizes and types of towels have become available.
Standard Bath Towel Size
The standard bath towel is probably the one you have encountered before. They are available in almost any given store. These are probably the towels you have used the most in your life.
Standard bath towels have a lot of variations in their “standard” size. Depending on the source, standard bath towels can be 50 inches long, 56 inches long, or even up to 60 inches in length. The average width of these towels is around 24 inches but can go up to 30 inches.
This size will fit most people wearing a standard clothing size. People who wear plus-size clothing may find these towels too short for comfortable use.
Bath Sheet
Sometimes called a sheet towel, bath sheets are basically larger towels. Despite the potentially misleading name, bath sheets are made the same as their standard towel counterparts, just at a larger size.
Standard bath sheets are about 62 inches long by 30 inches wide. Larger bath sheets are easy to come across as well. Many companies make bath sheets that are 70 inches long.
Most of these towels will fit plus-sized people wearing up to a women’s size 30, or men’s 5x. This type of towel can also come in wider sizes, allowing more of the body to be covered. Bath sheets can have widths between 36 and 40 inches.
Extra Large Bath Sheets and Towels
Though these sizes may be harder to find, some companies make bath towels even larger than the standard bath sheet. These towels may be up to 80 inches long and 40 inches wide and can fit someone who is a women’s size 40, or men’s size 8x.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Still have some questions? Here are a few frequently asked questions that we’ve answered to help you on your towel-buying quest.
What Size is an Oversized Bath Towel?
Bath sheets are generally considered oversized bath towels. The size of bath sheets will range between the manufacturer and the company selling them, but most will average around 30 inches wide by 62 inches long. Some will go up to 70 inches long. Without looking specifically for a bath sheet, you may find oversized standard bath towels around 60 inches long.
What is the Standard Size of Bath Towels?
The standard size of a bath towel is 24 inches wide by 50-56 inches long. This measurement is only a baseline to go off of, there are many variations in size among standard bath towels. Most bath towels will fall somewhere in line with these measurements, give or take a few inches.
What’s the Difference Between a Bath Towel and a Bath Sheet?
While the term “bath sheet” may be misleading, bath sheets aren’t actual sheets. Bath sheets merely refer to a larger size of a bath towel. There is no difference in terms of make, quality, or material between bath towels and bath sheets. Bath sheets are always going to be larger than a standard bath towel, but they are otherwise the same thing.
Which is Bigger, Bath Sheet vs. Beach Towel?
Bath sheets tend to be larger than beach towels. The average size of a beach towel is 30 inches wide by 58 inches long. The average bath sheet beats this measurement out by a few inches.
What is the Difference Between a Beach Towel and a Bath Towel?
Beach towels can be used like bath towels, but there are several differences in how each is made. Bath towels are meant to be absorbent and soft, considering they are going to be drying bare skin.
Because of this, bath towels are generally made thicker or with specific weaves of fibers that are optimized for absorbency. Beach towels are primarily made to be used as a surface to lay on or to provide privacy when changing.
Beach towels are generally not as thick as bath towels. Thicker bath towels take longer to air-dry, which works at home, but not so much at the beach.
Bath towels are also a lot more plain when it comes to design — often they are simply a solid color without any patterns or accents. Beach towels tend to have many colors, interesting patterns, and designs that wouldn’t be practical on bath towels.
So, What Are the Standard Bath Towel Sizes?
So, what are bath towel sizes? There are many variations in size between the different bath towel sizes. While most of these variations are going to do their job and get you dry, you may want to have a towel that you enjoy using.
Different sizes are going to appeal to different people and different body types, so it can be helpful to know what size options are out there. Bath towels, bath sheets, and extra-large bath sheets all have a general standard size amongst themselves.
Knowing the range of sizes that each type can be will help make shopping easier and ensure that you get a towel that will make you feel the most comfortable. Happy shopping!