The next time you're in the market for some new towels, why not consider all of your options first. While cotton is still an excellent option, not to mention probably the most common choice, bamboo and hemp towels are also great alternatives if you're looking to stay on the greener side of things. Of course, with all three, choosing organic is best. Organic cotton towels may be the most accessible and possibly the most inexpensive. Try to find 100% organic cotton towels; most likely the companies manufacturing these are supporting the organic cotton movement (if you're wondering what the heck that is, Cotton Inc. will give you the lowdown). Also, try to find towels that have been created with low-impact dyes and are chlorine and softener free. A lot of eco-friendly towel options include cotton-bamboo blends. Bamboo towels are going to be more absorbent due to their cellular structure; they will dry faster too and are naturally anti-microbial, discouraging mildew, bacteria, and odors. Hemp towels or hemp blends are good choices as well. Hemp is another super absorbent natural fabric and in its best form can be found untreated, unbleached, and undyed. 

Retailers like Wal-Mart and JC Penny aren't exactly jumping on the hemp/bamboo bandwagon but they are offering their own variation of eco-friendly towels and bath accessories, which are featured in their "green" collections. Wal-Mart's towel sets are made from 100% certified organic cotton and have a supposed 20% decrease in drying time, which will help conserve household energy consumption. JC Penny's Simply Green collection contains only products that are at least 70% raw organic, 25% renewable, and 25% recycled. Not too bad for two corporate companies that encompass thousands of stores nationwide. Now it's your turn to do some smart shopping. 

Cotton Inc.: http://www.cottoninc.com/Sustainability/

http://www.cottoninc.com/LifestyleMonitor/Lifestyle-Monitor-Green-Issue-07/

Green Biz: http://www.greenbiz.com/print/1497

Wal-Mart: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8342990