Best Knitted Dressing Gowns: Cotton Robes for Men and Women

A dressing gown is one of those things people either wear constantly or never wear at all — and which camp you fall into usually depends entirely on the gown. A heavy towelling robe that stays damp and takes up half a hook is easy to stop reaching for. A well-made knitted dressing gown becomes the thing you put on every morning without thinking about it.

This guide covers the differences between dressing gown styles, what to look for in fabric and fit, and how to choose one you will actually wear.

Towelling vs Knitted Dressing Gowns

Most dressing gowns fall into one of two categories, and they are built for genuinely different purposes.

Towelling robes are made from looped terry cotton — essentially a wearable towel. They are highly absorbent, which makes them excellent straight out of the shower or the pool. The trade-off is bulk and drying time: a towelling robe is heavy, takes up considerable space, and stays damp for hours after use.

Knitted dressing gowns use a flat or brushed knit rather than a looped pile. They absorb less water but they are dramatically lighter, they drape properly rather than standing away from the body, and they dry quickly. They also look like clothing rather than bathroom equipment, which is why they get worn for hours rather than minutes.

If you want something purely for the three minutes after a shower, towelling wins. If you want something you will wear over pyjamas on a cold morning, while making coffee, or through a slow Sunday, a knitted dressing gown is the better choice.

What to Look For in a Knitted Dressing Gown

Fabric Composition

The fibre blend determines almost everything about how a dressing gown feels and how it lasts.

The Sunday Supply Co. Home Robes use a 50% organic cotton and 50% viscose blend. The cotton provides breathability and structure so the gown does not trap heat; the viscose brings a plush, fluid softness and the kind of drape that makes a robe hang properly instead of standing stiffly away from the shoulders.

A cotton dressing gown is the right call for year-round use in most Australian homes — warm enough for a winter morning, breathable enough that you are not throwing it off by mid-morning. The practical description is warmth without weight.

Weight and Drape

A dressing gown that is too heavy becomes a chore to wear and a problem to hang. One that is too light does not feel like anything. The right weight sits in between: substantial enough to feel considered, light enough to move in.

Drape is what separates the two in practice. A gown with good drape follows the body and falls cleanly. A stiff one holds its own shape regardless of who is inside it, which is why some robes make everyone look like they are wearing a box.

Construction Details

Check the belt loops — they should be securely stitched and positioned at the natural waist, not several centimetres above or below it. Check the pockets are deep enough to actually hold a phone. Check the shoulder seams sit where your shoulders end.

These are small things individually and they collectively determine whether a dressing gown feels well made or merely adequate.

Fit and Sizing

A dressing gown should have enough room to wrap generously across the front with meaningful overlap — one that only just closes will not stay closed. Sleeves should end at the wrist rather than the mid-forearm.

The Sunday Supply Co. gowns are cut as a unisex style, designed to work as both a women's and a men's dressing gown across a range of body shapes rather than in separate gendered fits.

The Sunday Supply Co. Knitted Dressing Gown Range

Three colourways, all $269, all in the same 50% organic cotton and 50% viscose knitted construction.

Dunes Home Robe — $269

The Dunes Home Robe is the lightest of the three — a warm cream tone drawn from sandy shores that feels calm and considered. Its neutral palette means it sits comfortably in any home regardless of the surrounding decor, and it is the most classic of the three if you want something that reads as timeless rather than of-the-moment.

Banksia Home Robe — $269

The Banksia Home Robe is the deepest and most distinctive — rich, earthy green tones inspired by where land meets sea. It brings depth and calm to a daily routine, and it is the most forgiving of the three in practical terms, since darker tones show the marks of everyday use far less than pale ones.

Husk Home Robe — $269

The Husk Home Robe sits between the two — earthy warmth paired with soft neutral tones, inspired by the coastline after sun. It is the easiest to place if you already own pieces from the wider Husk range, and it coordinates naturally with the matching Husk Home Blanket.

When You'll Actually Wear It

The case for a good dressing gown is that it covers more of the day than people expect.

Straight after a shower, over damp skin, while the bathroom is still warm. A knitted gown absorbs less than towelling but it also does not stay soggy afterwards.

Cold mornings, layered over pyjamas while the house warms up. This is where a knitted dressing gown substantially outperforms towelling — it is light enough to move around in and it looks presentable if someone arrives at the door.

Slow weekends, when getting dressed properly is not on the agenda until later.

Travel and weekends away, where a lightweight knitted gown packs down to a fraction of the space a towelling one demands.

Coordinating with the Rest of the Home Range

All three colourways share their palette with the knitted throw blankets — Dunes, Banksia and Husk all appear in both. A matching dressing gown and throw is a natural pairing, and it is the reason the two make a strong combined gift.

The home towel range in Dunes also sits within the same warm neutral family, so a Dunes gown and Dunes towel set read as a coordinated bathroom rather than separate purchases.

Caring for a Knitted Dressing Gown

Wash cool on a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Viscose is the more delicate half of the blend and it does not appreciate heat.

Skip fabric softener, which coats the fibres and flattens the surface over time. Dry flat or on a low tumble rather than high heat, which is what causes knitted blends to lose their loft and drape.

Hang the gown spread across a hook or a rail rather than bunched. Like anything else, it dries faster and stays fresher with air around it.

Shop the Collection

Browse the full Sunday Supply Co. knitted dressing gown collection — Dunes, Banksia and Husk at $269 each, in organic cotton and viscose, made for everyday wear rather than occasional use.