To robe or not to robe, that has always been the question. For me, a bathrobe has never been part of my green grooming routine; it was always something I indulged in at nice hotels. Even then, the plush softness of this mysterious morning man dress always just left me feeling a bit too much like Robin Leach. Or something. But like a fine red wine or loafers, some things just come to men of a certain age and suddenly make a whole lot more sense. So I thought I’d see what was out there in the way of organic cottons and natural fibers.
Coyuchi’s Jersey Men’s Cotton Robe is a 100 percent certified organic and Fair Trade robe born of a unique relationship between Coyuchi and the Chetna Cooperative, a 6,500-strong coop of family-owned farms in India. This robe, in a granite-like color called Indigo Melange, is a perfect hybrid robe – not too thin for colder climates and not too thick for, say, India in August. The company is a well-established leader in the organic bedding field, as well. $75, coyuchi.com
Pure Fiber’s Organic Combed Cotton Robe is a knitted cotton bathrobe sourced in Kolkata with a mildly silky texture that rides the fence between cotton and smoother fabrics. The one thing I absolutely love about it is that the wrap-around belt is permanently attached, so it doesn’t slide around or come loose and fall off. But my complaint is also with the belt: it rides too high. This is a kimono-style robe with two front pockets that are a nice touch. $69.99, pure-fiber.com
I live in a tropical climate so I don’t need any heavy-handed cotton hugging my body, but boy if I lived in colder climes, I’d love the Gazel Men’s Hooded Terry Bathrobe — though I’m not sure if the Anatolian-era inspired housecoat makes me feel more like an Arctic monk or a cold-weather Grim Reaper. Of course, that’s all to do with the hood. I’m digging the dark-side style of this 100 percent certified organic monolith that’s sourced from the Aegean region of Turkey. Beyond that, the other noticeable departure of this robe from the others here is its poundage – the cotton here is a weighty 400 gsm (grams per square meter), which translated into Green Groomer speak means it’s like wearing a Mack Truck. $165, gazel.com
Kevin Raub is a travel and entertainment journalist and a Contributing Writer at Organic Spa Magazine.