What Are Hooded Towels and Are They Suitable For Newborns?

Baby’s first bath time can be nerve-racking, right? If it doesn’t go as planned, don’t throw in the towel! It could be good, clean, and fun with a hooded towel. Warm and cosy, it keeps them in a happy bundle. Hooded towels are becoming the go-to bath towels for new parents, so we’ll dip our toes into this emerging trend. 

What is a Hooded Towel?

So, what’s so absorbing about this new hooded towel phenomenon? By definition, it’s a towel with an attached hood that is designed to wrap around the body. They’re most commonly used for drying and warming the body after swimming or bathing. Coming in adorable designs, kids look super cute in an animal-shaped hooded towel. Hooded towels differ from regular towels due to their design and functionality – they’re larger and can be wrapped around the whole body to provide insulation and quick drying. The attached hood offers convenience, as hair can be dried without needing another towel.

Are hooded towels suitable for newborns?

Warm, comfortable and gentle hooded towels are a recommended drying option for newborns and toddlers. According to the National Eczema Society, 20% of babies will develop eczema. So, for them, gentle care is crucial to prevent irritation. By choosing hooded towels made from fabrics like bamboo, you can help safeguard sensitive skin and reduce the likelihood of flare-ups. Bamboo is a naturally hypoallergenic and non-abrasive material, so it’ll not irritate your baby’s skin. No need to wrap them in cotton wool when you have a hooded towel to hand! So, if the fabric is important, you may be wondering, ‘Are hooded towels necessary for babies?’ Specifically designed in such a way that it can easily swaddle a baby or a toddler to keep them warm, a hooded towel is more than just a way to dry them. Newborns are more prone to catching a chill, so switching to a hooded towel will help them keep cosy.

What should you consider when buying a Hooded Towel?

We’ve established it's all good in the hood, but what sets apart the best from the rest in the hooded towel market? When selecting a hooded towel for your newborn, it's important to focus on several key factors. First, superior absorbency is essential—a towel that quickly soaks up water will keep your little one dry and comfortable. Equally important is the softness of the fabric; choose materials like high-quality bamboo or organic cotton that are gentle on sensitive skin. Durability and ease of washing are also crucial, as you’ll want a towel that withstands frequent laundering without losing its plush texture. Lastly, consider eco-friendly options to ensure your choice is not only safe for your baby but also kind to the planet. This holistic approach will help you find the perfect hooded towel that offers comfort, practicality, and sustainability. 

Superior Absorbency & Quick Drying

As the saying goes, ‘don’t throw the baby out with the bath water’, which means don’t lose something of value when getting rid of something you don’t want. To keep all the goodness of the bath and ensure your little one doesn't lose heat quickly, you should bundle your little splasher in a hooded towel. If you decide on bamboo, it contains temperature-regulating properties, meaning your newborn won’t lose the heat from the bath and catch a chill.

It’s also super soft and won’t irritate the most sensitive skin. You don’t want to rigorously rub your newborn after they’ve had a wash as they have thin skin and an undeveloped barrier function. More susceptible to damage and infection, their skin remains at its best when dried by a towel with high absorbency. Cotton and bamboo are both known for this feature, making them the perfect towel material—fun Panda fact: bamboo fibres have a unique structure that allows them to absorb more water. 

Softness 

Nothing quite beats the embrace of a warm, fluffy towel after a bath, so you’ll need a big softy for the job. A baby’s skin has high permeability, so it absorbs and loses moisture more quickly, and the skin is 20% - 30% thinner than an adult’s skin. A bamboo hooded towel is gentle enough even for a newborn’s skin.

Durable & easy to wash 

Don’t get in a lather about washing baby towels. It’s true that baby towels need to go in the machine frequently to keep them hygienic, but if you choose a bamboo hooded towel, you’ll find that they’re durable and get fluffier after each wash. Regular towels can be washed at a high temperature, but we advise you to put a bamboo towel in the washing machine on a low setting with a mild detergent. This avoids any shrinkage of the fabric and keeps them soft and absorbent for longer. Air dry them, as this is better for the environment than a tumble dryer, but it also maintains their effectiveness. 

Eco-friendly

Protect your baby and protect their environment. Bamboo is a sustainable fabric – organically grown, it absorbs greenhouse gases and releases good chemicals, so it’s always an eco-friendly choice. 

How many towels do you need? 

You might get into hot water if you don’t have enough towels to dry your baby, which begs the question, ‘How many baby towels do you need?’ We advise two to three in your rotation. This works out as one in use, one in the wash and a spare hooded towel. As they get older and you start to bathe your baby more frequently, you may need a few more.

Can Babies Use Regular Towels?

Now you’ve soaked up a lot of information about hooded towels, we’ll explain why they’re better for babies. They’re not as rough in texture, so they won’t irritate your baby’s delicate skin. They also come with a hood to keep your baby warm, preventing them from developing a chill. Hooded towels aren’t as bulky and are much more adaptable to your little one’s body. Once you get the hang of them, you’ll never go back to using regular towels.

Panda hooded towels

Start them early, we say, as they’re never too young to benefit from bamboo. Coming in two different sizes for babies and toddlers, our Kids™ Bamboo Hooded Towel is naturally hypoallergenic. Highly breathable, our zero-twist towel is soothing and soft. To achieve this, we blended long-staple cotton with our signature bamboo. Zero is a towel hero – the fibres are not twisted during the spinning process, making them more absorbent and quick-drying. Our hooded towel for kids is antibacterial and odour-resistant, keeping it hygienic between washes. Not only is it good for your baby, but it's good for the environment, too.

With Panda ears on the hood for an extra snuggle-worthy look, our Panda Kids™ Bamboo Hooded Towel keeps them in a warm panda hug long after bathtime. To wrap up, a hooded towel could be your answer to baby bathtime bliss.