As an Australian business owner in this space, I get asked this question a lot. What is the best sand free towel in Australia?
It is a fair question. Sand free towels are everywhere now. Every brand claims to be quick dry, lightweight and eco friendly. On the surface, they can all start to look the same.
The truth is, not all sand free towels are created equal. And the difference becomes very obvious once you actually use them in real Australian conditions.
What does sand free really mean?
Sand free does not mean coated, treated or chemically altered. A genuinely sand free towel works because of how it is woven.
Traditional cotton towels have loops. Those loops are great for absorbency at home but terrible at the beach. Sand gets trapped, stays trapped and usually ends up in your car, your bag or your washing machine.
Sand free towels use a tight, loopless microfibre weave. Without loops, sand has nothing to cling to. You give the towel a shake and the sand simply falls away.
If a towel feels fluffy like cotton and claims to be sand free, it probably is not.
What Australians actually need from a sand free towel
Australian beaches are not gentle environments. Strong sun, saltwater, wind and long days outdoors put towels through a lot.
From our experience, the best sand free towel in Australia needs to do more than look good online. It needs to:
- Shake sand off easily
- Dry quickly between swims
- Stay fresh even when packed damp
- Feel soft enough to use all day
- Pack down compactly for travel
- Hold up after repeated washing and use
- Many towels manage one or two of these things. Fewer manage all of them consistently.
Why material quality matters
Most sand free towels are made from some form of polyester microfibre. That alone does not make them premium.
What matters is:
- The quality of the fibre
- How tightly it is woven
- How it is finished
- Whether recycled materials are used properly
Lower quality microfibre can feel plasticky, lose softness quickly and start to smell. Higher quality microfibre, particularly rPET made from post consumer plastic bottles, is more durable, softer and better at managing moisture and odour.
This is one of the reasons we chose rPET for our travel towels. Each Will and Wind travel towel repurposes the equivalent of 16 post consumer plastic bottles. It is a clear, measurable outcome, not a vague sustainability claim.
YYou can see our travel towel range here.
Sustainability without exaggeration
Sustainability matters to us, but so does honesty.
There is a lot of noise in this category. Big numbers, sweeping claims and very little explanation. We deliberately avoid that approach.
We focus on what we can clearly stand behind:
- rPET microfibre
- Fewer resources than traditional cotton
- Products designed to last
We would rather be specific and accurate than overpromise. Customers are far more informed now and they can spot greenwashing quickly.
Design that means something
For us, design is not just decoration.
Australia has some of the most extraordinary natural environments in the world. Our designs are inspired by real places, real coastlines and real marine life. They are not generic patterns created to follow trends.
When you use one of our towels, we want it to feel connected to the places you actually love spending time in. That sense of place matters.
You can see this approach in designs like the Whale Shark towel, inspired by one of Australia’s most iconic marine species:
A towel should work beyond the beach
One thing we have learned is that a great sand free towel rarely stays at the beach.
Our customers use them:
- At the beach and pool
- On boats and kayaks
- At the gym
- While travelling
- In caravans and campers
- For dogs and kids
That versatility is intentional. A towel that dries quickly, stays fresh and packs down small works across all of those settings. A towel that does not will quickly become annoying.
That is also why anti microbial performance matters. Nobody wants a towel that smells after one damp pack up.
So what is the best sand free towel in Australia?
There is no single answer that suits everyone. But in our view, the best sand free towel in Australia will always share a few key traits:
- A true loopless sand free weave
- Fast drying in real conditions
- A soft suede finish rather than stiff microfibre
- Clear and honest sustainability credentials
- Designs with intention behind them
- Durability that stands up to real use
At Will and Wind, we focus on making a towel that works properly, lasts and feels considered. Not one that relies on hype or exaggerated claims.
If you are comparing options, look past the headline features. Think about how the towel will feel after months of use, how it will dry, how it will smell and whether it genuinely fits the way you live.