What is a Towel Set?

A towel set is a linen staple made up of matching or coordinating towels in various sizes. A typical one will have a bath towel, hand towel, and washcloth, and possibly a fingertip towel. It is not uncommon to see three or four piece towel sets, but a set could have six pieces or more or as few as two pieces. You can also build a towel set by purchasing matching pieces individually.

Towel sets are very popular wedding and bridal shower gifts. The monogrammed set, a set of towels with the initial of the couple’s last name embroidered on them, is a common gift for the same occasions. Similarly, an infant towel set, which typically includes a hooded towel and matching or coordinating washcloths, is a popular baby shower gift.

From an economic standpoint, it may or may not be cheaper to purchase a towel set over individual pieces totaling the same number of towels. However, towel sets are often comprised of decorative towels, embellished with additional fabric or lace trim or appliques, that cannot be purchased individually. This is an advantage when decorating a bathroom and looking for towels to accessorize a towel bar.

Though towel sets are popular, many people prefer to buy their towels separately. In some instances, a retailer will package towels in three-piece sets and have additional matching pieces available for individual purchase. In bathrooms where open shelving or glass front cabinets are used to store towels, the option to purchase multiple matching bath towels becomes more important. Many people prefer not to display a mishap of mismatched towels in their bathroom.

Regardless of the towel set, keep in mind that decorative towels are meant to be used for display more than practical use. They are often smaller in size and thinner in thread count than standard or jumbo bath towels. Many retailers who offer home decor for the bath have both options available to consumers and they often display matching linens, including shower curtains, coordinating decorative towel sets and coordinating individual towels together. When purchasing a towel set or building your own linen stash, keep in mind that you typically need more bath towels and washcloths than hand towels, as hand towels are typically kept hung for reuse longer before washing than bath towels and washcloths.