Certified Organic Linen Bath Towels

Certified Organic Linen Terry Bath Towels (with Organic Cotton) by Rawganique.com

We came across bona-fide Irish linen pile terry towels in our research into heritage hemp terry towels and we were impressed with the lushness, durability, absorbency, and the beautiful deep platinum tones of linen towels. The Irish linen terry towels are known in some circles as Irish linen friction/massage towels, which incidentally are also part of Scandinavian sauna culture. Swedish massage towels for rubbing down after a refreshing sauna or bath, for example, are often traditionally made of linen terry. The linen terry towels provide an invigorating massage that's all part of the Scandinavian sauna experience (diving into a snow-covered lake or landscape is another).

We decided then and there that we would be carrying the linen terry towels alongside our hemp terry towels, as the natural hemp and linen colors are attractively different in shade & tone (see photo above -- the natural color of the flax linen fiber (which we call Evening Sand Dunes) is a dark beige-grey with platinum highlights, whereas the natural color of the hemp fiber that we use is lighter -- a light shade of cream (shown in the hemp bath mitt), which we call Satin Dream Ecru). Both are completely bleach-free and dye-free for your comfort and peace of mind.

While we managed to keep all of the attractive qualities of heritage linen pile towels, we also added an extra dimension to our linen towels which is extremely important to us and our customers: we have made our authentic Irish Linen Terry Towels with certified organic linen, which accounts for 65% of the content, with the remaining 35% accounted for by the certified organic cotton backing. We've also found a way to make our organic linen towels much softer than traditional Irish linen towels and Scandinavian massage towels, without sacrificing any of their fine qualities.

We offer our Organic Linen Pile Towels in the natural, undyed color of linen. Slight variations in color are normal and expected as the fibers are completely unbleached & undyed and each harvest season yields a unique shade and tone. The deep platinum-beige color of this stunning organic flax linen & organic cotton towel comes from its high content of unbleached flax linen yarn; it's a lovely combination of beige, gray, and a little bit of brown, which is the color of sand dunes at dusk (a beautiful color that is all-too-rare in modern textiles, with most manufacturers preferring the white color of bleached flax yarn). The effect is simply breath-taking: its stillness and simplicity are both sensual & zen-like. (Tidbit: Flax is hemp fiber's true sister; it's as strong, easy-to-grow, and environmentally sustainable as hemp.)

Linen, like hemp, can absorb up to 150% of its weight in water, so our Euro-Luxury Organic Linen Terry Towels are extra thirsty as well as quick to dry (thanks to the fiber's insulating and breathable hollow core): they are also as durable as our organic hemp towels. To help make sense of the difference between our organic hemp and organic linen towels, we offer a couple of quick pointers below:

• Both linen and hemp are sustainable -- they were historically often referred to as sister fibers due to their similar ease of cultivation -- no pesticides and very little, if any, water were needed to grow them. They are both versatile and can be used for the same fabric constructions (linen, canvas, etc...).
• You'd choose one or the other (or as many of our customers do -- both!) based on your color preference. If you prefer a lighter color, go with the organic hemp towels. If you prefer a deeper shade, go with the organic linen towels.

Our Euro-Luxury Organic Linen Towels are 100% organic from start to finish; they are also extra thirsty and so beautiful you'd want to run your hands through the plush hairs all day.

We use only the very finest certified organic European flax linen (which are unfortunately becoming very rare) and certified organic cotton: this means no GMO, chemicals, or pesticides. (Beware: "Natural Cotton" or "Green Cotton" are not organically grown cotton at all -- both are conventionally grown cotton (with all the pesticides and chemical fertilizers that the conventional growing process entails). The "Natural" or "Green" in the terms simply refers to the fact that no "additional" chemicals were applied during the manufacturing process. As such, the terms Natural Cotton and Green Cotton are quite misleading as they in effect are generally exactly the same as conventionally grown cotton. For true purity and environmentally sustainability, especially for essentials such as intimates and bed and bath items, it's best to go with certified organic fibers.

Our Organic Linen Towels are also produced with no sweatshop, underwaged, or child labor, period. We go through every precaution at every step of the manufacturing process to make sure that our organic linen towels are as pure as can be: this is our no-nonsense commitment to our workers, our customers, and this fragile planet of ours. Even the finishing is ecologically done in Germany, as part of our commitment to purity and environmental sustainability.

A perfect gift to shower on yourself and your loved ones, our Euro-Luxury Organic Linen Bath Towel is one gift that will be cherished and remembered with fondness and joy long after it's given. To make it easier to furnish your bathroom, we also offer a matching organic linen bath mats and bathrobes (see photo below).

"Each year, 275 million pounds of pesticides are used on the conventional cotton crop alone, not to mention millions and millions more pounds of chemicals that are used to process the cotton fiber and manufacture conventional cotton products. And bad as conventional cotton is, synthetic fibers (nylon, micro fiber, etc..) are even worse! Hemp and flax linen, on the other hand, grow easily without chemicals or pesticides of any kind in virtually any climate and soil. The hemp and flax linen fibers are easily processed with just water and machine combing and is also at least three times stronger than the cotton fiber."

Care instructions: Machine wash in warm water (with a small amount of mild biodegradable detergent) with like colors. Avoid bleach, fabric softeners (which clog natural fibers and shorten their life span), and optical brighteners (most oxygen or hydrogen-peroxide brighteners available at health food stores are OK to use). Hang or lay flat to dry (towels will regain plushness with use and from ambient moisture). We do not recommend machine drying your new organic hemp or organic linen towels as dry heat is hard on natural fibers such as hemp and flax and may compromise their long-term durability through excessive linting.

However, that said, for convenience many customers have been machine-drying their hemp and linen towels -- they've reported that some linting occurred but otherwise their towels came out fine, so we leave it up to you to decide. Hemp and flax are such strong fibers that machine drying on delicate or air dry cycle would probably be fine in the long run.

Enjoy! Our Organic Hemp Towels and Linen Towels get softer with each wash and cozier with each use. After 3-4 washes, the natural protective oils will have been removed and the hemp and linen piles begin to soften. Then you'll begin to notice their true plushness, which will no doubt make them your favorite organic towels in no time.

Important Notice:Since we use natural looming techniques, some loops in the terry may get skipped or there may be extra threads in places. This is entirely normal and expected. If you come across loose threads, simply snip them off with sharp scissors close to the base. The toweling won't run. We thank you for your understanding; we try our best to maintain the integrity of heritage weaving, knitting, and looping practices, which may not yield as uniform a result as conventional, chemically-treated towels.

Also available:

• Luxury Organic Hemp Terry Towels
• Organic Cotton Spa Natural Terry Towels