A wet dog shakes within seconds of coming through the door, and whether that happens in the hall or the utility room depends entirely on how fast you can get the water off the coat. Microfibre pulls water out of fur far quicker than a cotton bath towel does, which is the whole reason to keep one specifically for the dog instead of quietly sacrificing another of your own every winter.

The pile is the mechanism. Fine split fibres give an enormous amount of surface area for water to cling to, so the towel takes water up rather than pushing it around the coat. Two options are listed and they are genuinely different tools: 70 x 140cm in a thin weave for wrapping a bigger dog and getting length around the body, or 50 x 100cm in a thicker weave for concentrated drying of paws, chest and face.

• Microfibre pile that lifts water rather than spreading it
• Two options: 70 x 140cm thin, or 50 x 100cm thick
• Soft against skin and coat
• Machine washable for repeated use
• Suits dogs and cats
• Useful after baths, swims and muddy walks

On washing microfibre. Fabric softener is what ruins these towels. It coats the fibres and kills the absorbency you bought them for, and it does not wash back out afterwards, so leave it out of the machine and keep them away from a very hot dryer. Worth saying plainly too: the thin option is large but light, so for a soaking wet retriever you will want a second one to hand.

Who it's for: Owners of dogs who swim, roll or get walked in British weather, and anyone tired of finding dog hair in the family bath towels.