Waffle or terry: which towel for the sauna?

In a Finnish home a towel gets heavy use. It gets wet in the morning shower and after the evening sauna, and in between it should have time to dry in the bathroom. That is why choosing a towel matters more than many people think. In this guide we compare the two most common towel weaves, waffle and terry, and explain which suits what.

The difference in short

Terry is a loop weave. The surface has small loops of yarn that make the towel thick, soft and plush. Waffle is a honeycomb weave. The surface has deep, square cells, and the fabric is thinner and lighter. Terry absorbs a lot of water and feels soft, but dries slowly. Waffle absorbs well, dries quickly and takes up less space.

Absorbency

Terry absorbs the most water in one go, because the loops hold a lot of fibre. That is useful when you want to dry your whole body quickly with one towel. The cells of a waffle weave increase the surface area of the fabric, so even a thinner fabric absorbs well. After the sauna the difference is small, because your skin is warm and partly dries by itself.

Both become more absorbent with washing. New cotton has finishing agents that repel water. Wash a new towel a couple of times before use and it will absorb properly. Don't use fabric softener, because it leaves a film on the fibres and reduces absorbency.

Drying time

Here waffle is clearly better. The thin, airy weave releases moisture quickly, and the towel typically dries in a few hours on a drying rack or in the warmth left in the sauna. A thick terry towel can still be damp the next morning, especially in a small bathroom with poor ventilation. A damp towel easily starts to smell and needs washing more often.

You can test the difference yourself. Hang a wet terry towel and a wet waffle towel in the same place after the evening sauna and feel them in the morning. The difference shows especially in winter, when the indoor air is dry but the bathroom is cool, and at a summer cottage without a drying cabinet.

Feel

Terry feels soft and warm, and many people associate it with hotel bathrooms. Waffle feels firmer at first. Its surface has a texture that gently massages the skin. Waffle softens and becomes denser with washing, and tumble drying softens it most. If you like a thin, fresh towel, waffle feels pleasant straight away. If you want to wrap yourself in something thick and soft, terry is your choice.

Space and weight

A waffle towel is thinner and lighter than a terry towel of the same size, so it fits in a small cupboard and a suitcase. It is practical for the summer cottage, the boat and travelling. Weight is given per square metre. Our waffle cotton weighs 320 g/m², which is a medium weight for waffle: absorbent enough for the sauna, but still quick to dry. Terry towels often weigh 400–600 g/m².

Care

Both are washed at 60 degrees without fabric softener. Terry loops can catch and pull threads, so wash terry with other terry towels and avoid zips and hook-and-loop fasteners in the same load. Waffle has no loops, so it stands up well to washing and abrasion. Tumble drying on normal heat softens waffle and opens up the cells. If you line dry, give the towel a shake before hanging it up.

Cotton shrinks a few per cent in the first washes. In waffle, shrinking shows as deeper cells and a denser fabric. That is a good thing, because the towel then absorbs better.

Which one for you?

Choose waffle if you have a sauna often, your bathroom is small or your towels don't have time to dry between uses. Waffle also suits the summer cottage and travelling. Choose terry if your bathroom has underfloor heating or a drying cabinet and you want a thick, soft towel after a shower. Many people keep both: terry in the bathroom at home and waffle in the sauna and at the cottage.

Our waffle towels are 100 per cent cotton, and they are made in Portugal. The sizes are hand towel 50 × 70 cm, bath towel 70 × 140 cm and sauna towel 100 × 150 cm, and the shades are Vaahto (white) and Löyly (oat). The same fabric is also used for a light waffle bathrobe. All of them carry the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certificate.

How many towels do you need?

Many people manage with two bath towels and one sauna towel per person, so that one is in use while the other is in the wash. It is worth having a few hand towels, because they are changed more often. Waffle towels take up less room in the cupboard than terry, so more of them fit on the same shelf. Keep a separate set for the guest room or the cottage, so guests don't have to wait for the washing machine.

How long a towel lasts depends more on care than on the weave. Wash towels often enough, dry them properly before putting them away and leave out the fabric softener. A well-cared-for waffle towel lasts for years in normal use. When a towel finally wears thin, you can still use it as a cleaning cloth or to protect the bench in the cottage sauna.

Frequently asked questions

Which towel dries fastest? A thin, airy waffle towel dries faster than thick terry. Does a waffle towel absorb as well as terry? Almost, and after the sauna the difference is small. Terry absorbs the most water in one go.

Why does a waffle towel feel stiff? New waffle is firm. A few washes and tumble drying soften it. What is a good size for a sauna towel? Around 100 × 150 cm, which is enough to wrap around your body and spread on the sauna bench.