First up, what’s so special about Turkish towel sets? Turkish towels are soft, absorbent and durable – and best of all, fast drying. Here’s why. Cotton comes in many different weights. The well-known Egyptian cotton is highly absorbent. It makes for a very plush feel, but can take a little too long to dry, especially if your bathroom doesn’t get a lot of light and ventilation. The difference between Egyptian and Turkish cotton is that Turkish, while also feeling very plush absorbs slightly less moisture. It has the perfect level of absorbency to get you dry, but not so much that the towel stays wet and starts to smell of mildew.