Care Guide
How to Care
for Your HYLE.
Natural fibres reward patience. Here's everything you need to know.
Your HYLE towel is made from raw, undyed, handloomed cotton — no chemical coatings, no synthetic softeners, nothing artificial. Caring for it is simple, but a little attention goes a long way. Follow these guidelines and your towel will soften and improve with every wash for years to come.
cold — 30°C max
only
low — or air dry
if needed
dry-clean
- Wash in cold water (30°C or below)
- Use a mild, fragrance-free detergent
- Air-dry flat or hang in the shade
- Wash separately for the first 1–2 washes
- Expect slight shrinkage (3–5%) on the first wash — this is normal
- Give it a cold rinse before first use
- Store in a dry, well-ventilated space
- Trust that it softens more with every wash
- Use fabric softener — it coats fibres and kills absorbency
- Wash above 40°C — excessive heat accelerates wear
- Tumble dry on high heat
- Use bleach or optical brighteners
- Wring or twist harshly when wet
- Store damp — mildew will form in natural cotton
- Iron on high heat or with steam directly on the weave
- Dry-clean
Your towel arrives as it left the loom — washed once in cold water, nothing more. It may feel slightly firmer than you are used to. This is not a flaw. Conventional towels are pre-softened with chemicals before they reach you; ours are not. That initial firmness is raw cotton in its natural state, and it disappears quickly.
By the third wash, the fibres begin to open up noticeably. By the sixth or seventh, the towel reaches what we call its peak — a softness that is earned, not chemically imposed, and that continues to deepen rather than degrade. The longer you use it, the better it gets.
You may also notice a very slight variation in weave texture across the surface — a slight irregularity in the weft, a small slub in the yarn. These are not defects. They are the marks of handloom weaving, where each pass of the shuttle is a human act. No two HYLE towels are exactly alike.
A well-cared-for HYLE towel should last a decade or more. Natural cotton, unwoven without chemical treatment, is remarkably durable when treated gently. The fibres are long-staple and tightly twisted — they hold up to regular washing far better than the short-staple cotton used in most mass-produced towels.
When it does eventually reach the end of its life — fraying edges, thinning pile — it can be composted or cut into cleaning rags. It will biodegrade fully. There is nothing synthetic to leave behind.
Yes, completely. A 3–5% shrinkage on the first wash is expected with untreated natural cotton. Most of this happens in the first wash; subsequent washes cause very little additional change. Washing in cold water and air-drying minimises this further.
Most store-bought towels are treated with silicone softeners before leaving the factory. HYLE towels aren't — what you're feeling is honest cotton. Give it 3–4 washes and the difference will be clear: your towel will be softer and more absorbent, and will continue improving rather than degrading.
Not at all. Slight irregularities in the weave — small slubs in the yarn, minor variation in thread spacing — are the signature of handloom weaving. Each towel is woven by hand, and no two are exactly identical. These are marks of craft, not defects. If you receive something that appears genuinely damaged, please contact us.
Yes, but we recommend a cold rinse first. This removes any surface dust from the weaving and packaging process and slightly opens the fibres, improving absorbency for your first use.
After every 3–4 uses is a reasonable guideline. Hanging the towel to dry fully between uses (not balled up) keeps bacteria and odour at bay. Overwashing shortens the life of any textile needlessly — wash when it needs it, not on a fixed schedule.
More questions? Visit our full FAQ page or contact us.
A towel that gets better with every wash
is a towel worth taking care of.