Choose something comfortable. Carry your feelings of celebration on a towel.

When you move to a new home because of a job transfer or change of employment, when two people who care for each other begin to walk a single path together, when an irreplaceable new life is born to that couple—at these special moments that brighten our lives, we can't help but wish for as much happiness as possible. A gift given with such feelings will remind you of that moment even as the years pass, making you want to treasure it forever.

What's more, when you find yourself on the receiving end of celebration, being showered with congratulatory words from so many people makes you realize once again just how many people support you—and this makes you feel all the more strongly that you don't want to choose something half-hearted for the return gift (uchiiwai) you give along with your feelings of "thank you, and please continue to look after me."

In this article, we introduce towel gifts that support that feeling of wanting to choose carefully. Towels, a classic gift choice, are something that pleases many people without straying too far from their tastes. Since you're going to choose a gift anyway, it's worth paying attention to the towel's material and feel so that the recipient will like it and use it for a long time—choosing while thinking of the person you're giving it to.

To make it a special gift

"I want to be even a small part of the growth of a child born amid such blessings"

"I want to quietly support a newlywed couple's new life"

"I want to give my uncle a gift of gratitude, but I don't want to get it wrong"

Because we never want to forget a special day that marks a turning point in life, we want to give something memorable that can be used and loved for a long time. Towel gifts are perfect for supporting that feeling. Towels come in many designs that can be used regardless of age or gender, and since they're used every day, they're a classic gift that's never unwelcome no matter how many you have. In particular, towel gift sets are available in a range of price points close to the typical budget for celebratory gifts (5,000 to 10,000 yen), making them easy to choose according to your relationship with the recipient.

Also, since uchiiwai (return gifts) are often given to many people rather than to one specific person, simple everyday items that can be used daily tend to be well received. Choosing something that reflects each individual's personal tastes and hobbies can actually make it easier to go wrong, so basing your choice around towels lets you decide quickly and convey your gratitude without letting too much time pass after the celebration. When choosing an uchiiwai, it's also important etiquette—out of respect for the giver—not to choose something more expensive than the celebratory gift or money you received. It's best to aim for about half to a third of that amount.

Now, from here we'll introduce towels with a focus on their material and feel, while touching on each brand's particular commitment. Please read on while imagining the person you'd give these to.

Towels made with the user as the star / kontex

【For uchiiwai to families, or wedding gifts】

　A mysteriously fluffy non-pile towel

【For uchiiwai given to many people】

　A fluffy towel that holds up well to washing

Seeking a life where people and nature coexist / Tenimuho

【For baby gifts or uchiiwai to families with small children】

　Full of volume, yet light

Painting a richer everyday life / ROYAL-PHOENIX of the seas

【For uchiiwai to relatives skilled at hospitality, or gifts for friends who enjoy sports】

　An everyday towel that transforms into a special moment

【For a moving-in gift to a friend who works hard at their job or hobby / uchiiwai for a sibling who enjoys traveling】

　Slowly savor the fluffy softness

*Tapping the underlined text will take you to the corresponding section on the page

■kontex

Towels made with the user as the star

kontex is based in Imabari, a cotton textile-producing region surrounded by the waters of the Seto Inland Sea. The brand carefully considers every detail—from the selection of raw materials to the weave structure, processing methods, and towel design—aiming for "the best form for the user" and offering products that can be trusted in every respect. Carrying on the strong wish of their predecessors to produce better towels than anywhere else, kontex continues to make "towels that can be used with lasting affection."

▲Stays soft even without using fabric softenerFlax Line Face & Bath Towel Set C

kontex has developed more than 150 original types of yarn. By freely combining these while making the most of each material's texture, the brand carefully weaves towels with a pleasant feel that blend naturally into daily life. It's a brand that makes you want to choose while imagining the recipient's tastes and personality.

A mysteriously fluffy non-pile towel

Rana Face & Guest Towel Set

Set contents

・Face towel (approx. 36 × 85cm): 2 pieces, Guest towel (approx. 36 × 36cm): 2 pieces　¥5,302 (tax included)

Using old-fashioned looms and taking their time so as not to put stress on the thread, kontex weaves towels that let you feel the natural softness of cotton itself. As proof of this, Rana, part of the kontex original series, is as light and soft as a wool knit. Though the fabric is thin, it feels so wonderfully soft that you can almost sense a layer of air within it, and when folded, it has a curious springiness.

The fabric, free of the pile typical of towels, has a light, smooth touch. Because it's woven in a soft, knit-like way, it breathes well, and you can tell just by looking that it dries very quickly. kontex's Rana, which stays clean thanks to how thoroughly it dries, is a towel you'll want to keep in the kitchen or by the washbasin for everyday use. Its calm, hotel-like colors make stains less noticeable, so it's also a great choice as a gift for families, whether for a celebratory return gift or a wedding present.

A fluffy towel that holds up well to washing

Herringbone Face Towel Set

Set contents

・Face towel (approx. 35 × 80cm): 2, Guest towel (approx. 35 × 38cm): 2　¥4,422 (tax included)

Born from the concept of "creating a towel that can be used by anyone," this towel is striking for its contrast between the fluffy pile and the thick border. The refined herringbone pattern, combined with calm colors, makes for a design that's easy to give as a gift regardless of the recipient's gender or age.

Woven slowly to put as little strain on the thread as possible, the towel fabric is, just as it looks, plush and soft. At the same time, it uses a firm base fabric that resists losing its shape even after repeated washing, so you can use it without hesitation as an everyday towel. Towels are often shared among family members, but it's also nice to let each person have their own—red for mom, brown for dad, for instance. Since it's easy to give to people of a wide range of ages, if you want to send return gifts to multiple people, building your gift selection around this towel set will make the process smooth.

■Ten-i Muhou

Seeking a life where people and nature live together

Ten-i muhou (天衣無縫) is a word that, deriving from the idea that the robes of celestial maidens have no seams, has come to mean "poetry or other works made naturally and beautifully, without artifice or contrivance." True to its name, the brand aims to create products that are "comfortable and beautiful, making the most of nature."

▲With a soft touch as gentle as an angel's wings, theSupima Angel Towel Set

What Ten-i Muhou values most is using properly produced organic cotton. In their commitment to creating products with consideration for the earth, the natural environment, and the people involved in cotton production, they are particular about choosing organic cotton that has received proper certification. That's precisely why Ten-i Muhou's towels are always full of the pure, unadulterated charm of the material itself. What we'd like to introduce this time is a towel made with Supima cotton, the finest grade of cotton available.

Full of volume, yet light

Supima Léger Towel Set

Set contents

・Bath towel (approx. 60 × 125cm): 1, Face towel (approx. 34 × 86cm): 1　¥7,645 (tax included)

・Face towel (approx. 34 × 86cm): 2　¥4,290 (tax included)

Ten-i Muhou delivers comfortable products that make the most of nature. Among them, Supima Léger uses Supima cotton, whose fibers are known as the longest and finest among all cotton, to create a towel that combines the soft absorbency and quick-drying ease that people look for in a towel.

When Supima cotton, smooth and supple like cashmere, is woven into a towel, the result has a pleasant touch that makes you want to press your cheek against it. To bring out the quality of the material even further, the yarn is given very few twists before being made into pile, resulting in an even fluffier finish and a luxurious sense of volume.

Some people might worry that a towel with so much volume would be slow to dry, but there's no need for concern. Supima Léger keeps the weave density low to improve breathability, so despite its ample volume, it's light and dries quickly—one of its appealing features. A towel gentle enough to use safely on a baby's delicate skin, and one that stays clean with continued use, it's also a great choice as a return gift or baby gift for families with small children.

■ROYAL-PHOENIX of the seas

Painting everyday life in richer colors

ROYAL-PHOENIX of the seas is a towel brand born from inspiration drawn from Imabari's rich natural environment and the history of shipbuilding, one of the region's key industries. The lineup is filled with towels that carry an extraordinary sense of specialness, evoking the finest towels one might encounter while gazing out at a distant horizon during a leisurely, elegant sea voyage.

▲Vivid piping that adds a special touch to a pure white towel set against the blue of the sea.SPA Towel Set: Face Towel / Wash Towel

For a gift as special as this, many people want the recipient to feel its quality the moment they open it. The logo depicting a luxury liner and the open sea, along with the woven name label bearing the phoenix (Canary Island date palm) mark that symbolizes Kusuhashi Monori—ROYAL-PHOENIX of the seas offers an experience of the finest luxury, making it perfect for a special gift.

Everyday Towels That Become Special Moments

CABIN Towel Set: Face Towel / Wash Towel

Set Contents

・Face towel (approx. 34 × 94cm): 2 pieces, Wash towel (approx. 34 × 35cm): 2 pieces　¥10,340 (tax included)

The ROYAL-PHOENIX of the seas gift set is designed so that a special day begins the moment it arrives, filled with surprise and a sense of excitement. The CABIN towel set, with its skin-friendly colors set off by vivid piping, feels moist and plump to the touch. Above all, the generous use of yarn gives it a springy resilience, and just touching it hints that everyday towels are about to become something special.

It's no wonder—ROYAL-PHOENIX of the seas develops its products starting from the yarn itself, in pursuit of the emotional impact of that very first touch. By combining extra-long staple cotton grown in southern India, known for its thin, smooth fibers and distinctive sheen, with high-quality medium-staple cotton from America that contains few impurities, they've created a soft, smooth texture that lets the cotton's natural character shine through, full of air and delicately woven.

Towels woven from these two types of cotton offer excellent absorbency, and since the face towel is made longer than typical ones, it can be used flexibly—as a hair band after a bath, as a sports towel, or even as a pillow cover. This is part of its appeal. The unmistakable quality you feel when you touch it makes it a gift you'll want to give as an inner celebration gift to a hospitable relative, or as a congratulatory gift to a friend who enjoys sports and staying active.

Savor the Fluffy Softness at Leisure

Towel and Eye Mask Gift Set

Set Contents

・Face towel (approx. 34 × 94cm): 1 piece, Eye mask: 1 piece　¥7,095 (tax included)

The combination of an indigo-colored CABIN towel, reminiscent of the calm, refreshing Seto Inland Sea, and an earth-toned eye mask seems, at a glance, sure to create a truly special time. Why not give the gift of a refined moment of relaxation—as a housewarming gift for a friend working hard at their job or hobby, or as an inner celebration gift for a sibling who loves to travel?