Skip to content 
Choosing the wrong beach towel size can disappoint customers and hurt your brand. This simple mistake leads to unsold inventory, leaving you with products nobody wants to buy.
A standard beach towel is typically 30" x 60" (76 x 152 cm), but for a better lounging experience, 35" x 70" (89 x 178 cm) is ideal. This larger size provides ample space for most adults to lie down comfortably without being too bulky to carry.
But finding the perfect towel for your brand goes beyond just length. The ideal dimensions depend on your target customer, intended use, and the price point you want to hit. A few inches can be the difference between a standard product and a premium one that commands a higher price. Getting these details right from the start is key to creating a product that sells. Let’s break down the different factors so you can make a confident decision for your next production run.
How long should a beach towel be?
Picking a towel length can feel like a random choice. Go too short, and adults can’t lie on it. Go too long, and it becomes heavy and expensive to produce.
A great beach towel should be longer than the average person is tall, allowing for comfortable, full-body lounging. A length between 60 and 70 inches (152 to 178 cm) is the sweet spot. This provides enough coverage on the sand for most adults.
As a manufacturer, I always advise clients to think about their end-user first. The primary job of a beach towel isn’t just drying; it’s creating a personal space on the sand. The length needs to be generous enough to protect a person from hot sand and provide a comfortable surface for relaxing. I remember one of our clients from California who was launching a new lifestyle brand. They were debating between a 60-inch and a 70-inch towel. We produced samples of both. After testing, they realized the 70-inch towel felt much more luxurious and premium, which matched their brand identity perfectly. They started with our low MOQ of 500 pieces for the larger size, and it became an instant bestseller.
Matching Length to Your Customer
The right length completely depends on who you are selling to.
| Target User | Recommended Length (inches) | Recommended Length (cm) | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kids | 50" – 60" | 127 – 152 cm | Lightweight & Manageable |
| Adults (Standard) | 60" – 70" | 152 – 178 cm | Full Body Lounging |
| Adults (Luxury/Oversized) | 70" – 80" | 178 – 203 cm | Extra Space & Premium Feel |
What is the average length of a towel?
"Towel" is a very broad term, and the different sizes can be confusing. Ordering the wrong type can mean getting hand towels when you expected full-sized bath towels.
There isn’t one single average length, as it completely depends on the towel’s purpose. A standard bath towel is about 52 inches long, while a beach towel is longer at 60-70 inches. A hand towel is much shorter, around 28 inches long.
This is one of the first things we clarify with new clients at TowelTrend. Precise terminology is critical in manufacturing. A simple request for "medium-sized towels" can be interpreted in many ways, leading to costly production mistakes. That’s why we rely on standardized specifications. The difference in size between a bath towel and a bath sheet, for example, impacts everything from the cost of cotton yarn to the final shipping weight. Getting these dimensions right from the first order ensures that your product matches your vision and meets your customers’ expectations. It eliminates guesswork and helps you budget accurately, even when you’re just starting with a test run.
Common Towel Dimensions at a Glance
Here is a simple breakdown we use to help our partners decide on the right specifications.
| Towel Type | Average Size (inches) | Average Size (cm) | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washcloth | 13" x 13" | 33 x 33 cm | Washing face & body |
| Hand Towel | 16" x 28" | 41 x 71 cm | Drying hands |
| Bath Towel | 27" x 52" | 69 x 132 cm | Drying body after shower |
| Bath Sheet | 35" x 60" | 89 x 152 cm | Luxury body drying |
| Beach Towel | 30" x 60" – 35" x 70" | 76 x 152 – 89 x 178 cm | Lounging & beach use |
What size is a beach towel vs pool towel?
You might wonder if beach and pool towels are really that different. Using them interchangeably seems fine, but key distinctions in their design affect performance, durability, and customer perception.
Beach towels are almost always longer and wider than pool towels. A common beach towel size is 35" x 70", designed for lounging on sand. Commercial pool towels are often closer to a large bath towel, around 30" x 60", prioritizing absorbency over ground coverage.
The differences go much deeper than just size. From a manufacturing standpoint, they are two separate products. We produce thousands of pool towels for hotel clients. These towels need to be incredibly durable to withstand hundreds of wash cycles with harsh detergents and chlorine. We often use bleach-safe solid dyes and reinforced edges. Beach towels, on the other hand, are sold as retail products where visual appeal is king. They feature vibrant, complex prints. This often requires a velour finish on one side, where we shear the cotton loops to create a smooth, almost velvety surface that holds a design beautifully and naturally sheds sand. Thinking about the towel’s environment is critical to creating the right product.
Key Differences Beyond Dimensions
| Feature | Beach Towel | Pool Towel (Commercial) |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Larger (e.g., 35"x70") for lounging | Smaller (e.g., 30"x60") for drying |
| Material/Dye | Quick-drying, vibrant prints | Plush, absorbent, chlorine-safe |
| Design | Printed patterns, often velour finish | Solid colors or woven stripes, terry loop |
| Primary Goal | Lounging & making a statement | Drying & extreme durability |
Can any towel be a beach towel?
You need a towel for the beach, and you have a closet full of bath towels. It feels practical to just grab one and go, but you will quickly find it’s a frustrating choice.
No, a standard bath towel makes a poor beach towel. It’s too short for lounging, its thick cotton loops trap sand like a magnet, and it’s so plush that it takes forever to dry in the sun, making it heavy and damp for the trip home.
You can technically use any towel you want, but your customers will immediately notice the difference. I’ve seen brands try to cut costs by marketing an oversized bath towel as a dual-purpose "beach and bath" product. It rarely succeeds because the product fails in its primary beach function. A proper beach towel is engineered for the outdoors. It’s longer to keep you off the sand, thinner (a lower GSM, or grams per square meter) for quick drying, and specifically woven to resist trapping sand. For example, many of our beach towel designs use a reactive printing process that dyes the fiber itself, so the vibrant colors won’t fade under intense sun. It’s these specific manufacturing choices that create a product people love and recommend.
Why Your Bath Towel Fails at the Beach
| Feature | Standard Bath Towel | True Beach Towel |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Too short to lie on comfortably | Long enough for full-body lounging |
| Sand Resistance | Dense loops trap and hold sand | Smoother weave sheds sand easily |
| Drying Time | Stays wet for hours | Dries quickly in the sun and breeze |
| Portability | Becomes heavy and bulky when wet | Lighter and easier to pack and carry |
Conclusion
Choosing the right beach towel length, typically 60-70 inches, and material is crucial. This decision ensures customer satisfaction and positions your brand for success from the very first order.
