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Quick answer: The best gym towel in Australia is a microfibre towel at 100cm x 60cm with a GSM of 200 or above, weighing under 150g, that dries in under two hours between sessions and is machine washable after every use. Will and Wind microfibre gym towels are 200 GSM rPET, made from recycled plastic bottles, rated 4.9 stars and available in original Australian marine photography designs. Gym towels here. |
A cotton gym towel does one thing predictably: it saturates. By the time you are three exercises into a session, a cotton towel has absorbed more sweat than it can comfortably release and starts redistributing moisture rather than removing it. That is the problem a gym towel is supposed to solve, and it is the reason the material choice matters more than most people expect.
This guide covers everything you need to choose the right gym towel in Australia in 2026: material, size, what pocket options add, how often to wash it and how Will and Wind compares to the other options in the market.
What makes a good gym towel?
Material: microfibre, not cotton. The fundamental performance advantage of a microfibre gym towel is dry time. Microfibre draws moisture into the fibre structure via capillary action and releases it through evaporation. A Will and Wind microfibre gym towel dries in one to two hours after use. A cotton gym towel at the same size takes three to five hours minimum. For anyone with back-to-back sessions, morning training before work or a gym bag that needs to be usable the next day, this difference is not minor.
GSM: the number that tells you the most. GSM stands for grams per square metre, the density of the fabric. Higher GSM means denser weave, more absorption and better durability through repeated washing. The standard for a quality microfibre gym towel is 180 to 220 GSM. Will and Wind gym towels are 200 GSM. Anything below 150 GSM will feel thin and performance will drop noticeably within a few months of regular washing.
Size: the gym sweet spot is 100cm x 60cm. Large enough to cover a bench, wrap around your neck or drape over shared equipment. Small enough to fold into a gym bag without taking up all the space. Will and Wind gym towels are 100cm x 60cm: this is the format that gym members consistently choose when they do not want to carry a full beach-sized towel but need something more practical than a hand towel.
Weight: under 150g. A gym towel that weighs 300g is still lighter than a cotton equivalent but starts to feel like something you are carrying rather than something you just threw in the bag. Will and Wind gym towels weigh under 150g. They are present in your gym bag without being noticed.
Microfibre gym towels vs cotton: the actual comparison
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Microfibre gym towel (Will and Wind) |
Cotton gym towel |
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Dry time |
1 to 2 hours |
3 to 5 hours minimum |
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Weight |
Under 150g |
300 to 500g |
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Absorbs sweat |
Up to 4x its weight |
Saturates and stays wet |
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Feel between sets |
Dry to the touch |
Progressively wetter |
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Odour between washes |
Resistant |
Prone to buildup |
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Pack size |
Flat fold, minimal bulk |
Bulky |
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Washing frequency |
Every session, dries in a maximum couple of hours |
Every session, may not dry by next day |
Does a gym towel with a pocket make a difference?
Gym towels with a zip pocket carry your locker key, phone or card while you train. For anyone who has tried to figure out where to put a key during a run or a circuit session, this is a practical rather than a novelty feature. A dedicated pocket on a towel means the key is always with the towel and you are not hunting for it between exercises.
Will and Wind gym towels are available in a format with an integrated pocket. The pocket is zip-secured, large enough for a standard gym locker key and sits at the corner of the towel so it does not add bulk to the centre of the fabric where you are using it. For anyone who trains without a bag on the gym floor, a gym towel with pocket is worth the minor additional consideration.
How to wash a gym towel
Gym towels need washing after every single session. Sweat combined with the warm conditions inside a gym bag creates bacterial growth within hours of use. The specific care rules for microfibre matter here:
No fabric softener. This is the most important instruction. Fabric softener coats the split microfibre fibres with a waxy residue that reduces absorbency over time. A microfibre gym towel washed repeatedly with fabric softener will eventually feel both rough and non-absorbent simultaneously. Cold machine wash with a small amount of mild detergent is all it needs.
Cold or warm machine wash. High heat degrades microfibre fibres. Cold or warm cycle with mild detergent. No bleach.
Line dry. Tumble drying at high heat degrades the fibres over time. Line drying is better for longevity. At one to two hours dry time, a Will and Wind gym towel hung after a morning session is dry well before the next use.
The full care guide for microfibre products is covered in detail at the how to clean and care for your gear blog.
Are microfibre gym towels hygienic?
More hygienic than cotton in practice, because they spend less time damp. Bacteria need moisture and time to grow. A microfibre gym towel that dries in one to two hours gives bacteria a much smaller window than a cotton towel that stays damp for three to five hours after use.
Will and Wind rPET microfibre also has inherent antimicrobial properties that further limit bacterial adhesion between washes. The are microfibre towels hygienic guide covers the hygiene question in full detail including the comparison between cotton and microfibre across a typical gym week.
Gym towels for sweat: what the material does
A sweat towel for the gym is doing a different job from a shower towel. It is not trying to absorb all the moisture in one go. It is managing a continuous flow of sweat across a full session. The key properties for this specific use are: fast surface absorption (pulls sweat away on contact), reasonable internal capacity (does not saturate in the first ten minutes) and recovery between wipes (returns to functional dryness quickly enough to use again on the next set).
Will and Wind 200 GSM microfibre handles all three. The surface absorption is immediate because of the split fibre construction. The internal capacity at 200 GSM is sufficient for a full session. And the recovery time is measured in minutes rather than the twenty-plus minutes that a saturated cotton towel takes to become usable again between heavy sets.
The full performance comparison for gym and sweat use is in the gym towels collection.
Will and Wind gym towels: the full spec
Size: 100cm x 60cm. The gym standard.
Material: 200 GSM rPET suede microfibre. Made from recycled post-consumer plastic bottles.
Weight: Under 150g.
Dry time: One to two hours.
Sustainability: GRS 4.0 certified. Each towel made from 11 recycled plastic bottles.
Customer rating: 4.9 stars from 260 plus verified Australian reviews.
Guarantee: 60-day money-back guarantee.
Designs: Original Australian underwater photography. Whale sharks, humpbacks, leopard sharks and coastal designs from Will and Wind photographers Chris Burnham and Brooke Pyke.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gym Towels
What size gym towel do I need?
100cm x 60cm is the standard for gym use. Large enough to cover a bench or wrap around your neck, small enough to fold into a gym bag without taking up significant space. Will and Wind gym towels are exactly this size.
How often should you wash a gym towel?
After every session. Sweat creates bacterial growth within hours in a warm gym bag. Cold machine wash, no fabric softener, line dry. A Will and Wind microfibre gym towel dried overnight is ready for the next morning session.
Is microfibre better than cotton for the gym?
Yes on every gym-specific measure. Faster dry time, lighter weight, does not saturate during a session, resists odour better between washes. Cotton is fluffier but underperforms in every practical gym context.
What is GSM for a gym towel?
GSM stands for grams per square metre, the density of the fabric. 180 to 220 GSM is the quality range for microfibre gym towels. Below 150 GSM the fabric is thin enough that performance drops noticeably with regular washing. Will and Wind gym towels are 200 GSM.
Can I use a beach towel as a gym towel?
Yes. Will and Wind travel towels at 160cm x 80cm work perfectly for gym use if you prefer a larger format: particularly for floor work, stretching and post-gym showering. The material is identical to the gym towel range. The gym-specific size (100cm x 60cm) is the right choice if bag space is the priority.
What gym towel is best for HIIT and CrossFit?
A 200 GSM microfibre towel that dries between rounds. High-intensity training generates continuous sweat across short rest periods. Will and Wind gym towels absorb up to four times their weight in water and recover to functional dryness between sets faster than cotton. The 100cm x 60cm size covers the equipment you put it on without trailing on the floor.
Are Will and Wind gym towels sustainable?
Yes. Each is made from 11 recycled post-consumer plastic bottles under GRS 4.0 certified manufacturing, independently audited annually. Will and Wind is also a named partner of the Australian Marine Conservation Society. The full sustainability picture is at the marine conservation blog.
Do Will and Wind gym towels come with a carry bag?
Yes. Will and Wind gym towels include a carry bag for storage and transport between sessions.
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