4 Best Types of Gym Towels - Towel Supercenter

Updated December 30, 2024

Are you planning to open a new gym or fitness center? If so, you’ve probably put a lot of time and careful consideration into the equipment you will buy, the classes and programs you offer and what benefits your gym members will receive. With so many choices, it can be easy to overlook one of the most crucial decisions — your gym towels.

You might wonder what kind of towels a gym should provide. As a business owner, you want to give the guests a superior gym experience, offering top-level comfort and convenience. Set your gym up for success by ordering soft, durable towels and washcloths.

Table of Contents

The Importance of a Good Gym Towel
How to Choose a Gym Towel
What Kinds of Towels Should a Gym Provide?
How Will Your Clients Use the Gym Towels You Provide?
Choosing Towels That Suit Your Style
4 Different Types of Gym Towels
How to Care for Your Workout Towels
Benefits of Buying Gym Towels in Bulk
Purchase High-Quality Gym Towels Online

The Importance of a Good Gym Towel

Although cleanliness is a big part of providing gym towels for your members, they’ll enjoy them for several reasons, including superior customer service. Your towels will benefit your members in the following ways:

1. Cleanliness

A productive workout typically results in a good sweat. Inevitably, that sweat is going to drip somewhere. Some of your members may be good about remembering to bring along an absorbent towel, but many forget. Using a workout towel to wipe the sweat from your face and body will keep it from your hands, minimizing the transfer of bacteria. Providing towels for your gym members encourages them to be more diligent about cleanliness — for themselves and your equipment.

Why Is Cleanliness So Important?

Moisture becomes a breeding ground for bacteria when left to dry on equipment. The heat from the sauna or a space full of people adds to the issue, leaving your members susceptible to various germs. Sure, your cleaning staff will tackle this challenge with their routine cleaning, but providing your members with the tools they need to clean up after themselves helps mitigate the problem in the meantime. You want your members happy and healthy, confident that your equipment is clean.

Providing towels also improves the experience for your members. They’re there to break a sweat, and readily available towels keep them clean, dry and comfortable. It also makes working out more enjoyable for everyone when they can focus on their own goals and not the sweat flying off the treadmill next to them!

2. Safety

Sweaty dumbells are slippery and challenging to grip. Pool water tracked down a tile hallway can quickly become a hazard. You can prevent injuries by providing your members with towels to dry off and clean up. As a gym owner, you want to have confidence your members can navigate the equipment without slipping or falling.

3. Environmental Awareness

A paper towel used to wipe down equipment ends up in the trash. Now imagine one paper towel for every piece of equipment and gym member daily, and you know how much wasted paper a gym can produce. Encouraging your members to use towels reduces the amount of waste paper your gym creates. Help your gym and its members go green by encouraging them to use reusable towels.

4. Comfort

Some of your members may barely break a sweat, while others likely look like they’ve gone for a swim after spending 30 minutes lifting weights. Either way, access to towels is essential. When members have a towel nearby, they can freshen up and wipe down without pausing their workout to hunt for a towel or dig around in a gym bag.

5. Good Gym Etiquette

All gyms have a set of rules they expect their members to follow. These vary from one gym to another, but the basic rules include sharing equipment, dressing appropriately, respecting other members and cleaning up after exercise. Providing towels encourages members to follow your facility’s established rules and etiquette. It also shows your commitment to their comfort and that you’re invested in helping them treat each other respectfully and kindly.

How to Choose a Gym Towel

The best towels for your gym depend on the type of establishment you operate and how your clients will use them. Ask yourself the following questions:

What Kind of Gym Do You Have?

Different gyms have varying towel requirements. Consider what your members will expect based on the following services:

Public cardio or weight training gym: Public cardio and weight training gyms are often more casual than other gyms. Users come and go throughout business hours and stay only for their workouts.
Team-focused training center: Team-focused training centers train specific sports teams or groups of teams.
Luxury health and wellness center or spa: While luxury health centers and fitness spas have on-site gyms and fitness centers, they often combine these with wellness programs like yoga, meditation or other mind-body experiences. Luxury health center and spa users typically visit during a retreat as a relaxing getaway. They expect a higher standard of comfort and luxury.
School locker rooms: School locker rooms are usually near school gyms for schoolchildren or college students to meet physical education requirements or have a place to exercise when not in class.

What Kinds of Towels Should a Gym Provide?

Buying towels for your gym in bulk is an excellent way to up your customer service game. Different kinds of towels can benefit your members in several different ways. So, before you stock up, consider purchasing a variety of towels for use throughout your facility, including:

1. Hand Towels

Hand towels are smaller and great for stocking in and around workout areas. Members can grab a towel at the start of their workout and use it as they move around to different pieces of equipment. Or, when these smaller towels are stocked nearby, they can grab one in between sets to wipe down equipment or themselves.

Keeping a bin or basket nearby allows members to toss the used towels aside after their workout and makes it easy for your staff to collect them for cleaning at the end of the day.

2. Bath Towels

Bath-sized gym towels are ideal for stocking poolside or in the locker room for easy access. When you purchase towels made from 100 percent cotton, they provide a soft feel yet are durable. They stand up to long-term use and frequent washing. Your members will feel pampered by their luxurious feel, and your business manager will love them because they’re long-lasting — a double win!

3. Washcloths

Washcloths are smaller than bath towels and hand towels, but they are just as effective at wiping off a forehead or piece of equipment. These may be a more manageable alternative to the other larger towels for gym patrons who don’t sweat as much or simply need to wipe down a small piece of equipment. It’s also nice to have them on hand in locker rooms for members to use when showering.

4. Yoga Towels

If your gym offers yoga as one of its workout classes, then stocking towels in your yoga studio is a must. Achieving downward dog or any number of yoga positions is challenging when your hands are slippery. When yogis have a towel nearby, they can keep their hands and mats dry.

5. Microfiber Towels

Microfiber towels are becoming more common for athletes and gym goers because of their absorbent nature. A microfiber towel can handle a lot of moisture, which means it will last longer and dry faster during an intense workout than its cotton counterpart. It also holds up better to frequent washing, which means less frequent replacements.

How Will Your Clients Use the Gym Towels You Provide?

As you choose the type, style and quantity of workout towels for your gym, ask yourself the following questions.

Who: Who will most frequently use your gym towels? What age group do they fall into? What activity level? For example, a youth center with co-ed sports may require dozens of sturdy towels, while adults in a luxury health center may expect a more upscale experience.
What: What will people use your gym towels for? Consider whether you are buying towels for showering, hand washing, equipment cleaning or for sweat absorption during workouts.
When: How often will your clients use your towels? The answer to this question will help you decide how durable your towels should be and how many you need to order. For example, a 24-hour fitness center with hundreds of members will probably use more towels than a school locker room.
Where: Will your gym clients be using towels both indoors and outdoors? Are you planning to store towels in a humid environment, like a shower room? How likely are they to stain? The answers to these questions tell you what towel strength you need.
How: Consider how you plan to care for your gym towels. Opt for a low-maintenance, high-quality towel if you do not have an on-site laundry facility.

Choosing Towels That Suit Your Style

You need gym towels that are absorbent, quick-drying and cost-effective — but what about their appearance? The look of your workout towels can add to your professional image or help tell your business story. Choose gym towels that match your aesthetic goals by following these tips:

Select the perfect color: White workout towels are a classic color choice, but they are not the only option. Towel Super Center offers towels and washcloths in various colors, including neutral shades and bold, vibrant hues. You can use colored towels to help personalize your gym or fitness center. For example, a youth fitness center may choose to provide guests with bright, fun colors, while a luxury health center may choose calming colors, like beige or charcoal. Consider choosing colors that complement your business logo or team mascot for business branding.
Customize your gym towels: Chances are, everyone in your gym will come in contact with a towel at some point during their visit — one way to ensure they remember your name is by having your logo or business name embroidered on your gym towels. Personalized towels are also an excellent way to create a professional, cohesive look.
Choose your comfort level: How essential is comfort to you and your guests? All Towel Super Center cotton gym towels are soft and non-abrasive to the skin, but some are thicker and plusher than others.
Consider additional features: Think about gym towels, hand towels or washcloths with extra features, like bleach resistance or cleaning towels made of microfiber.
Make it match: To maintain a professional look, ensure the color and any embroidery on your gym towels match or complement the color you choose for your hand towels and washcloths.
Focus on presentation: Unlike the towels and washcloths you have at home, you probably don’t want to store your gym towels in a closet. You want to make sure they are easily accessible to all guests, and that you present them professionally. Some ways you can do this include rolling your towels or folding them in unique ways. Consider keeping towels in decorative baskets or on open shelving for convenience.

4 Different Types of Gym Towels

Every gym should offer guests four different types of towels — economy gym towels, premium gym towels, hand towels and washcloths. Each towel serves a distinct purpose and can have multiple applications. For the best results, have plenty of each type of towel available in your gym at all times.

1. Economy Gym Towels

Economy gym towels are available in multiple sizes and made from 100% cotton. Why cotton? Consider the following characteristics.

Quick drying: Unlike some fabrics, cotton does not take long to dry. The faster a wet towel dries, the less prone it is to bacterial growth. This quality results in longer-lasting, more hygienic towels for your gym.
Comfortable: Cotton is soft, plush and does not irritate sensitive skin. Your gym or fitness center members will appreciate this comfort, especially after an intense workout.
Durable: Despite how soft and delicate cotton feels on the skin, it is a highly durable fabric. Our 100% cotton towels stand up to frequent use and washing, making them an investment that pays for itself.
Absorbent: Cotton readily absorbs sweat and water, making post-workout showers easier than ever for guests.
Low-maintenance: Cotton workout towels are ideal for busy gym owners, as they do not require much maintenance. Aside from washing your gym towels mindfully, cotton doesn’t require any special care or treatment.
Customizable: Cotton is available in multiple colors, and it is easy to embroider. Cotton towels are ideal for customization and personalization.

You can use economy towels in all gym areas, including the following.

Promote good hygiene: Guests need towels to dry off after taking a shower and to dry their hands and face after quickly washing them post-workout.
Make cleaning a breeze: Use towels to clean and sanitize exercise equipment, including treadmills, ellipticals, weight benches, stationary bikes and more.
Facilitate sweat absorption: Sweating during a workout is completely normal, but that doesn’t mean it’s comfortable. Many guests keep towels handy during their workout sessions, so they can quickly wipe their hands, face and neck. Towels keep them dry and comfortable and limit the sweat that transfers to your gym equipment.

2. Premium Gym Towels

Nearly 40% of users visit a gym to help manage the stress of everyday life. Make their experience as relaxing and stress-free as possible with premium towels. Premium gym towels offer superior comfort, strength and performance. Like Towel Super Center economy towels, our premium towels feature 100% cotton — only at this tier, the cotton has tighter loops, making the towels softer and longer-lasting. Towel Super Center premium towels are also available in a variety of sizes and colors, so you are sure to find the perfect fit for your gym.

Premium towels are ideal for the following situations:

Luxury health centers or fitness spas that specialize in comfort and relaxation
High-volume fitness centers whose towels see frequent use
Gyms that want to give members a more premium experience
School locker rooms for students with potentially sensitive skin

3. Hand Towels for the Gym

Hand towels are smaller than standard economy and premium towels, but larger than washcloths. If you own a gym or fitness center, hand towels are just as much a necessity as standard-sized ones. Some ways people might use a small gym to:

Dry their hands and face after washing them
Absorb sweat while exercising
Wipe down exercise equipment before and after use

Our hand towels are available in several sizes, ranging from 15 to 25 inches wide and 18 to 30 inches long. You also have the choice between economy hand towels or premium hand towels. Towel Super Center sells hand towels in many different colors, including:

Neutral colors: In addition to traditional white hand towels, we have black, silver, charcoal and various shades of brown and beige.
Vibrant colors: If vibrant colors are more your style, you’re in luck. Towel Super Center has several shades of blue, red, yellow, orange, green, pink and purple.

4. Washcloths for the Gym

How big should a gym towel be? There is no one size or a set standard you must follow. Instead, the answer is that your gym should have towels of all sizes, including washcloths. Washcloths are smaller than standard and hand towels but equally useful. There are several reasons your gym or health center needs high-quality washcloths:

So gym members or teammates can wash their face after a workout
To help clients cleanse or exfoliate their skin during a shower
So gym members can remove any makeup before an intense session
To help keep guests’ faces dry during their time in the steam room
To help clean up spills from water bottles or cleaning products

When it comes to choosing a washcloth for your gym, consider bleach-safe washcloths. These washcloths come complete with all the benefits of 100% cotton but can stand up to bleach without staining or fading. Many fitness centers use bleach-resistant washcloths when sanitizing workout equipment, as they hold up to cleaning agents better than traditional washcloths.

Color Options

While many gym owners opt to purchase white towels because they are easy to launder, buying colored towels can be a great way to stay organized. For example, you can buy blue towels to keep poolside, green towels for your workout classes, including your yoga studio, and black towels for your gym space.

Purchasing colored towels can boost your gym’s branding throughout your space. For example, if your gym’s logo contains red and yellow, consider buying towels in these colors to carry the theme throughout your building.

How to Care for Your Workout Towels

Workout towels require a few specific instructions for care. Here are a few important tips to keep in mind when washing and drying your workout towels:

Wash after every use. Gyms harbor bacteria, and you don’t want to reuse a gym towel, which is basically your sweat rag. Be sure to wash your workout towel after every use to avoid odors, bacteria, mold and fungal infections.
Avoid fabric softeners. Fabric softeners contain silicon, which will prevent the towel from absorbing your sweat or any water. Use your preferred laundry detergent and stay away from fabric softener if possible. If you can’t do without it, be sure to use only a small amount.
Add baking soda to your laundry detergent. Baking soda will help keep your workout towels fresh and soft. It also helps to loosen the fibers and remove odors that often build up in workout towels.
Don’t use too much laundry detergent. Using too much detergent will wear down your towels and cause them to lose absorbency over time. You typically use workout towels to wipe the sweat from your face and body, and you don’t want excess chemicals from laundry soap residue making its way into your pores.
Don’t overload your washing machine. Your workout towels won’t fully clean in an overloaded washing machine.
Add vinegar to the rinse cycle once per month. The vinegar will help remove excess detergent or odors from your workout towels, helping to restore their absorbency.
Wash workout towels in warm or hot water. Detergent is better absorbed in warmer water, which will leave less of a residue on your towels. White towels, the standard for workout towels, become cleanest in hot water and don’t come with the risk of fading.
Don’t over dry your workout towels. Leaving your workout towels in the dryer for too long will cause unnecessary wear, requiring you to replace them more frequently. If possible, opt for air drying your workout towels.

Know when it’s time to replace workout towels. Workout towels should be washed frequently, but that doesn’t mean they can’t last for years. It’s time to replace your workout towels when they become threadbare, lose their absorbency or develop an odor you can’t eliminate.

Benefits of Buying Gym Towels in Bulk

Now that you have decided which towels are best suited for your gym or fitness center, consider purchasing them from an online wholesale towel supplier. Buying wholesale or bulk gym towels can be valuable to your business for the following reasons:

Save money: When you buy wholesale gym towels, you get more for your money. Buying towels in bulk lowers your shipping costs and gives you a better deal, keeping costs low and saving money in the long term.
Order as many as you need: Wholesale towel suppliers can ship large quantities of towels at once, so no matter how many towels you need, you can expect them to arrive quickly.
Achieve a uniform style: When you buy all your towels at the same time, you can choose a single, consistent style. For example, if you want workout towels in a specific team’s colors, you can be sure that every towel will be the same shade of that color.
Enjoy consistent quality: Buying wholesale gym towels means you get consistently high quality across the board.
Save time: Rather than hunting down different towels as you need them, buying towels in bulk saves you time and energy that you can put into other areas of your business.
Simplify restocking: As your towels age or your business expands, you will need to restock. Thanks to Towel Super Center’s online shopping, restocking is a breeze when you order bulk gym towels.

Get High-Quality Wholesale Gym Towels at Towel Super Center

Towel Super Center is the leading online wholesale towel supplier for a reason — we know our business. All our standard towels, hand towels and washcloths are soft, durable and stylish. When you shop with us, you no longer have to worry about sacrificing quality for a low price. Our products feature high-quality materials and a long-lasting design, making them a cost-effective choice for your business.

No matter what kind of gym towel you want, we have what you are looking for. Shop our towels today to find everything you need for your gym.

4 Types of Gym Towels That All Gyms Should Own