Imabari towels are cotton towels made in Imabari, a city in Ehime Prefecture on Japan's Shikoku island. A towel can only carry the Imabari Towel label if it passes the region's own quality tests, including an absorbency test that's stricter than Japan's national standard.
If you've ever stayed at a hotel in Japan and noticed how good the towels felt, there's a good chance they were Imabari.
At SORT in Vancouver, we carry Imabari face, hand and bath towels in several weights. This is a short guide to what the label means and how to pick the right one.
Why we carry them
"I never paid much attention to towels until I started using Imabari ones, and now I can't go back." That's how we put it when the heavier bath towel arrived last fall, and it still holds. They stay soft after a lot of washing, they don't hold onto that musty smell, and even the heavier ones feel light in the hand.
We use them ourselves, too. The face towels are what we use at the SORT counter, and a few hand towels live behind it. They're also some of the most-loved pieces hanging at the front of the shop, by staff and customers alike.
What the Imabari label means
Imabari has been making towels since 1894, and the region now produces more than half of the towels sold in Japan. In 2006, local makers started the Imabari Towel brand project and set their own quality standards. Only towels that meet them can carry the red, white and blue Imabari mark.
The best-known test is the five-second rule. A 1 cm square of towel is placed on water, and it has to start sinking within five seconds. Japan's national industrial standard allows 60 seconds. In practice, this means an Imabari towel starts pulling water off your skin almost immediately.
Makers in Imabari also use soft groundwater from the Soja River when bleaching and dyeing. Water with few minerals is gentler on the cotton, which is part of why the towels feel soft from the first use.
Face and hand towels
- Face Towel (34 × 36 cm) — our everyday small towel. Dense, absorbent and small enough for a bag or a gym kit.
- Hand Towel (34 × 80 cm) — between a face towel and a bath towel. Long enough to wrap around your hands, compact enough for a small hook or bar. Also available in a striped version.
- Chiffon Fluffy Face Towel — woven with non-twisted yarn for a lighter, airier feel, closer to a chiffon cake than a typical towel.
- Kumogokochi Towel — "cloud-like comfort." Woven from long-staple organic cotton with barely any twist in the yarn, so it feels almost silky. It comes in a face and a longer hand size. Our team keeps one by the sink.
Bath towels
The main difference between our bath towels is weight. A heavier towel (more grams) feels plusher and holds more water, but takes longer to dry. A lighter one dries faster and packs smaller.
| Bath towel | Size | Weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Seasons | 70 × 130 cm | approx. 235 g | Everyday use, travel, the gym or pool. Dries quickly. |
| Fall/Winter | 60 × 120 cm | approx. 272 g | Cooler months. Softer and plusher, made with a low-twist yarn. |
| Striped Fall/Winter | 60 × 120 cm | approx. 272 g | The same weight with a subtle woven stripe, in navy or grey. |
| Extra Thick | 70 × 150 cm | approx. 440 g | The largest and heaviest. A full wrap after a bath. White only. |
If you're choosing one bath towel for the whole year in Vancouver, start with the All Seasons. If you want something softer for winter, go with the Fall/Winter weight.
Caring for Imabari towels
- Skip the fabric softener. It coats the cotton and makes any towel less absorbent.
- Shake before drying. A quick shake after washing helps the pile stand back up and stay fluffy.
- Wash them often. Imabari towels are made for daily use and hold up to frequent washing.
See all of our Imabari towels.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Imabari towel?
An Imabari towel is a cotton towel made in Imabari, Japan, that meets the region's quality standards, including a test that it starts sinking in water within five seconds.
Why are Imabari towels so absorbent?
To carry the Imabari label, a towel has to pass the five-second sinking test, compared with 60 seconds under Japan's national standard. The makers also use soft groundwater from the Soja River in bleaching and dyeing, which helps keep the cotton soft.
Where can I buy Imabari towels in Vancouver or Canada?
SORT carries Imabari face, hand and bath towels at 2550 Stephens St in Kitsilano, Vancouver, and online at sortdays.com with shipping across Canada and the US.
Which Imabari bath towel should I get?
For everyday use all year, the All Seasons (235 g) dries fastest. For a softer, plusher towel in colder months, choose the Fall/Winter (272 g). For the largest, heaviest wrap, choose the Extra Thick (440 g).
Do Imabari towels get softer over time?
Our experience is that they stay soft through a lot of washing, and the non-twisted styles, like the Chiffon and Kumogokochi towels, get fluffier as the fibres open up.
