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Waffle towels are everywhere now. You probably first saw them at a boutique hotel or spa, and now they’re all over Instagram, in home goods stores, and honestly, even IKEA has a version.
But just because two towels share that honeycomb look doesn’t mean they’re the same, and nowhere is that more obvious than when you put Onsen and Parachute side by side.
I tried Onsen first. I liked the idea of a thinner towel that dried fast and didn’t take over my linen closet, which I share with our bedding, so space is always a negotiation. They worked so well that I didn’t think much about towels for a while.
Then Parachute kept showing up in my feed and on best-of lists, and I got curious. I wasn’t looking to switch, but I wanted to know if I was missing something.
Turns out I wasn’t, but I also came away with a clearer sense of what each towel is actually for, and they’re more different than most comparisons give them credit for.
| Onsen Supima Waffle | Parachute Waffle | |
| Material | 100% Supima cotton | 100% Turkish cotton |
| Texture | Firm, structured, slightly scrubby | Soft, pliable, gentle |
| Drying Speed | Very fast | Faster than terry cloth, slower than Onsen |
| Thickness | Thin, compact | Moderate |
| Softness | Softens gradually over time | Soft from the start, gets softer |
| Odor Resistance | Excellent | Good |
| Best For | Performance, fast drying, small-space storage | Softness, wrap-around comfort |
A Look at Each Brand
Onsen is built around one specific idea: a towel that dries fast, stays fresh, and lasts. They use 100% extra-long staple Supima cotton, a premium American-grown cotton known for its strength and longevity, and the waffle knit is the only style they make. There’s no terry cloth option because they picked a lane and stayed in it.
Parachute is a broader home brand: sheets, pillows, robes, furniture, and yes, towels, including both a plush terry and a waffle option. Their waffle towels are made from 100% long-staple Turkish cotton at 240 GSM. Parachute built its name on softness and a relaxed-luxury aesthetic, and this towel reflects that philosophy.
Both are quality brands, but they’re very different, and they just happen to make a towel with the same “waffle” label.
Different Towels, Different Cotton, Different Purpose
This is the thing that gets lost when people compare these two: they’re not variations on the same product.
Onsen’s waffle knit is tight and structured. The honeycomb grid has real definition to it, and the Supima cotton gives the towel a firm, almost crisp quality. It’s noticeably thinner compared to anything else I own, which I don’t mind at all because I have limited room in my linen closet. When I first bought them, the thinness felt completely different than what I was used to. Now it’s one of the things I love most about them.
Parachute’s waffle uses Turkish cotton, which is a softer, more pliable fiber. The honeycomb pattern is there visually, but the towel has more give to it and is a bit fluffier, closer to a traditional terry cloth towel in feel. It’s a good towel and I liked it. My son, who has sensory sensitivities, actually preferred it because it was softer.
But when it comes to traditional waffle performance, I’d honestly argue that I lean toward Onsen.
How Onsen and Parachute Towels Actually Feel
The biggest difference between these towels is how they feel against your skin. Onsen has a rougher texture that is not uncomfortable, not scratchy, but noticeably firmer than Parachute. Drying off with an Onsen feels a little “rougher”, but not in a bad way.
If you like drying off fast and aren’t the kind of person who walks around in a towel while you get ready for the day, it’s better to have a more practical, spa-like towel with Onsen. It feels like it’s almost like it’s softly exfoliating my skin, but I’ll admit that the feeling does take a little time to get used to.
Parachute is marketed as softer, and honestly, it is. It feels warmer when you wrap up in it, but because it holds onto moisture a bit more than Onsen, it’s slightly heavier. Still, if you don’t mind that and you like to do your hair and makeup in a towel instead of a bathrobe or your underwear, it’s a good option for you.
Both towels get softer with every wash, and I don’t dislike the Parachute feel; I just prefer Onsen’s. There’s something about the texture that feels more functional, like it’s actually working when it dries you off.
What Sold Me on Onsen Towels
Dry time is super important to me. I hate when I take a shower in the morning, and my towel is still damp after work, and sometimes into the next morning if someone in the house dries their hands with my bath towel – which happens, unfortunately.
So after hanging an Onsen towel post-shower, I’m happy to report that it’s dry within a couple of hours. In my bathroom, which has decent but not great ventilation, it’s completely dry before my next morning shower without fail. I’ve never pulled an Onsen off the hook and found it damp.
Parachute’s waffle dries faster than a plush terry, which is clearly part of its appeal. But it holds more moisture than Onsen. On days when I shower at night and reach for it in the morning, it’s not quite fully dry. In a smaller bathroom or a humid climate, that would probably be more pronounced.
The musty smell issue is something Onsen handles almost entirely. Because the towel dries so completely and so quickly, there’s no window for that dampness to turn into an unpleasant smell. In between laundry days, I’ve never noticed my Onsen towels developing that odor between washes.
Storing Onsen vs Parachute Towels
I store my towels in a small linen closet shared with our bedding, so space is limited. Onsen towels fold flatter, stack compactly, and take up about half the shelf space of a comparable set of terry towels.
Parachute’s waffle has more body to it, which contributes to its softer feel but also means it takes up more space. They look great on an open shelf and might be more visually appealing than Onsen when folded up, but they do take up more space.
Onsen vs Parachute Towels: Holding Up Over Time
My Onsen towels still look the same as when I bought them, and after a bunch of washes, they’ve gotten softer. The honeycomb grid is intact, no fraying on the edges, no snags or pilling. They’ve held their shape and their character.
I’ve had the Parachutes for less time, but in the time I’ve used them, they’ve held up fine and also gotten noticeably softer, which for that towel is exactly the right direction.
By the way, waffle knit in general can be prone to occasional snags if caught on jewelry or rough surfaces, so that’s something to be aware of with both brands.
Overall, I’d say both brands are quality investments, and neither is going to fall apart on you.
Who Should Buy Onsen
Onsen towels are probably a better fit if you care more about function than a super plush feel.
They dry fast, don’t stay damp for hours, and take up a lot less space than thick terry towels. That makes them especially nice for small bathrooms, humid climates, or anyone tired of dealing with towels that start smelling musty too quickly.
The texture is definitely different, though. It has more of a structured, textured feel instead of that fluffy “wrapped in a cloud” softness. Some people end up loving that once they get used to it, while others never fully do.
Who Should Buy Parachute
Parachute will probably appeal more to people who want a softer, more traditional towel feel. If texture matters a lot to you, or if anyone in your house is sensitive to rougher fabrics, it’s the safer option.
It still feels lighter and more modern than an oversized hotel towel, but it has more softness and cushion than a waffle weave towel like Onsen. It’s kind of a middle ground between plush terry and performance-focused waffle towels.
My Final Thoughts on the Onsen vs Parachute Debate
Both are great towels, but they’re different, starting with the cotton used to make them. I bought Parachute towels to challenge what I already had.
After using both, my Onsen is still my daily towel. I love how they absorb water and dry quickly, and the compact storage matters to me. My Parachute ones are still used, just not as my daily towel.
That’s not a knock on Parachute because they’re very nice, but Onsen just fits my lifestyle better.
If fast drying and freshness are high on your list, start with Onsen. If softness is the priority, Parachute won’t disappoint. But this really comes down to preference, because these are different towels built for different buyers.
