How To Fold A Towel Like A Designer

Towel folding technique is something that most people give very little thought to, but by our count, there are more than a dozen ways to fold a bath towel. With a little planning, you can fold photoshoot ready towels that fit your space perfectly. Below, we look at five of our favorite folds. 

1. The Narrow Stack

2. The Wide Stack

3. The Spa Roll

4. The Exposed Edge

5. The Drape

The Narrow Stack

This fold is great for deep or narrow spaces and showcases the slim profile of our towels. Uniform in thickness throughout, the narrow stack folds and stacks neatly and shows a clean front. By leaving a small gap during the final fold, you can avoid the bunching that sometimes adds up when stacking towels high.

Step-by-step:

1. Start with the towel flat on a table (design side down)

2. Fold towel in on itself in thirds lengthwise

3. Fold the left and right sides in towards the middle, leaving a small gap

4. Fold once more in half

The Wide Stack

This fold also stacks neatly and shows a nice clean front, but the wider base is better suited for wide or shallow shelves. The wide stack folds flat and is a great choice when you have many towels. The wide front is also a great choice for showcasing patterned or striped towels.

Step-by-step:

1. Start with the towel flat on a table (design side down)

2. Fold towel in on itself in thirds widthwise

3. Fold the top down to meet the bottom

The Spa Roll

When stacking is not an option, consider the spa roll. Rolled towels look great when displayed in a basket or arranged in a pyramid shape and really help to create a spa-like environment. A slight tuck at the end ensures that the towels are easy to grab and transport without coming undone. As an added plus, rolling towels helps to minimize wrinkling.

Step-by-step:

1. Start with the towel flat on a table (design side down) and bring the top right-hand corner down so that the right side of the towel is parallel with the bottom

2. Fold the top down in half lengthwise

3. Flip the towel over and roll tightly from the square end to the pointed end

4. Tuck in the pointed end to keep everything neat

The Exposed Edge

Typically, when folding towels, showing the edge of the towel is undesirable. However, for many Japanese towels, the edges are a marker of quality and should be displayed. 

Step-by-step:

1. Start with the towel flat on a table (design side down)

2. Fold towel in half widthwise

3. Fold towel again widthwise

4. Fold the top down to meet the bottom

The Drape

Technically not a fold at all, an effortless drape is a simple way to display towels between uses while ensuring that they dry thoroughly. A draped towel creates a more casual environment and allows for playful mixing and matching of designs.

Step-by-step:

1. Locate the middle of the towel

2. Hang over a hook or towel bar