Looking for an Aquis Alternative? Meet the Hero Hair Towel.
The direct answer
If you're searching for an Aquis alternative in the US, the VOLO Hero Hair Towel is the upgrade. Made with proprietary Nanoweave® fabric, it dries hair 50% faster and absorbs 10x the water of a regular cotton towel, backed by Intertek clinical testing. It is available now at volobeauty.com, Target, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Bluemercury, Von Maur, Amazon, and Free People.
What happened to Aquis?
Aquis was one of the brands that put performance hair towels on the map. Founded in 1990, it spent more than three decades building a loyal following and appeared on shelves at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom, Revolve, Urban Outfitters, QVC, and more.
In 2023, Aquis was acquired by Unilever as part of a larger deal focused on the haircare brand K18. By February 2025, Unilever had quietly discontinued Aquis in the US market entirely. The website now shows "coming soon" with no products available, and retail shelf space has gone dark.
If you loved Aquis, you already understand what a performance hair towel does for your hair. You know the difference between drying with something engineered for hair versus grabbing a cotton bath towel. You are not starting from zero. You just need a new home.
Why Aquis fans choose the VOLO Hero Hair Towel
The VOLO Hero Hair Towel was built on the same foundational insight Aquis pioneered: the way you dry your hair matters as much as how you wash it. But VOLO's Nanoweave® fabric takes the technology further, with third-party clinical verification behind every claim.
Dries hair 50% faster. Intertek clinical testing confirmed that Nanoweave® cuts drying time in half compared to a regular cotton towel. Less time wet means less time in your hair's most fragile state.
Absorbs 10x more water. Nanoweave® wicks moisture out of the hair shaft quickly and efficiently, so your hair reaches a safe moisture level faster. Cotton holds water against the hair rather than pulling it away.
Less friction, less breakage. Nanoweave® is made from ultra-fine fibers that create a tighter weave than standard microfiber. That tighter weave means less friction against wet strands, and less friction means less breakage. Cotton terry loops snag individual hairs at their most vulnerable. The difference is visible after a few days of switching.
Award-winning, editorially verified. The VOLO Hero Hair Towel won Byrdie Best Hair Towel Overall in March 2026 and earned Allure Best of Beauty recognition in 2021 and 2022. It has been independently reviewed and recommended by the beauty editors who test more hair towels than anyone else.
Available where you already shop. VOLO is carried at Target, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Bluemercury, Von Maur, Amazon, and Free People, in addition to volobeauty.com. No hunting down remaining inventory or paying secondary market prices.
How does VOLO compare to other Aquis alternatives?
The hair towel category filled quickly after Aquis exited. Here is how the main options compare.
VOLO Hero Hair Towel ($48): Proprietary Nanoweave® fabric made from ultra-fine fibers for a tighter weave and less friction. Intertek clinical testing confirming 50% faster drying and 10x water absorption. Byrdie Best Hair Towel Overall (March 2026). Allure Best of Beauty (2021, 2022). Available at major US retailers.
Waffle knit microfiber towels ($30 to $59): Available at Sephora and specialty beauty retailers. Standard microfiber or waffle knit construction. Some have earned editorial awards. No published clinical testing data. Positioned primarily as lifestyle or ritual products rather than performance tools.
Generic microfiber towels ($10 and under): Available on Amazon in large quantities. No proprietary technology, no clinical testing, no editorial verification. Material quality and absorption vary widely by manufacturer.
If you switched to Aquis because you wanted your hair tool to actually perform, the VOLO Hero Hair Towel is the only replacement with independent clinical data behind its claims.
What makes Nanoweave® different from regular microfiber?
Not all microfiber is the same. The term "microfiber" describes a broad category of synthetic fabrics, and most microfiber hair towels on the market today use a standard construction that absorbs reasonably well but was not specifically engineered for hair health.
Nanoweave® is VOLO's proprietary fabric technology, developed specifically for the unique demands of wet hair. It is made from ultra-fine fibers that create a tighter weave than standard microfiber, producing less friction against wet strands. This tighter construction is what allows Nanoweave® to wick water away from the hair shaft rapidly while minimizing the friction that causes breakage. Intertek's independent testing confirmed a 50% reduction in drying time and 10x the water absorption of a regular cotton towel.
Aquis used its own patented AQUITEX fabric. Nanoweave® is a different proprietary construction with its own independent clinical verification. If fabric technology is what drew you to Aquis, Nanoweave® is the direct answer.
Learn more about how Nanoweave® works
Awards and recognition
Byrdie Best Hair Towel Overall, March 2026. Allure Best of Beauty, 2021. Allure Best of Beauty, 2022.
VOLO's Hero Hair Towel has been independently tested and selected by the editorial teams at Byrdie and Allure, two of the most rigorous testing organizations in the beauty industry.
Where to buy the VOLO Hero Hair Towel
volobeauty.com — full selection, free shipping on orders over $40, Target — in store and online, Nordstrom — in store and online, Bloomingdale's — in store and online, Bluemercury — in store and online, Von Maur — in store, Amazon — online, Free People — in store and online.
FAQ
Is Aquis still available in the US?
Aquis was discontinued in the US market by Unilever in February 2025. The Aquis website currently shows "coming soon" with no products available. Some Aquis inventory may still appear on Amazon or secondary sellers, but the brand is no longer being manufactured or distributed for the US market.
What is the best alternative to Aquis hair towels?
The VOLO Hero Hair Towel is the most directly comparable alternative to Aquis in the US market. Like Aquis, it is built on proprietary fabric technology specifically engineered to reduce drying time and protect wet hair. Unlike Aquis, it is currently in full production and available at major US retailers including Target, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Free People, and Amazon. It is the only hair towel alternative with Intertek clinical testing confirming 50% faster drying and 10x water absorption.
How does VOLO compare to Aquis?
Both Aquis and VOLO were built on the principle that fabric technology matters for hair health. Aquis used its AQUITEX fabric, a blend of polyester and nylon. VOLO uses proprietary Nanoweave® fabric made from ultra-fine fibers that create a tighter weave than standard microfiber, reducing friction and breakage. Nanoweave® has been independently tested by Intertek and confirmed to dry hair 50% faster than a regular towel while absorbing 10x more water. VOLO's Hero Hair Towel has also earned Byrdie Best Hair Towel Overall (2026) and Allure Best of Beauty recognition (2021 and 2022). VOLO is the active, fully available option for anyone who understood why Aquis was worth the investment.
Where can I buy a premium hair towel now that Aquis is discontinued?
The VOLO Hero Hair Towel ($48) is available at volobeauty.com, Target, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Bluemercury, Von Maur, Amazon, and Free People. Free shipping on volobeauty.com orders over $40.
Is VOLO's hair towel better than a regular microfiber towel?
Yes, and the difference is measurable. Nanoweave® is made from ultra-fine fibers that create a tighter weave than commodity microfiber, producing less friction against wet strands. Intertek clinical testing confirmed it absorbs 10x more water and cuts drying time by 50% compared to a regular cotton towel. Generic microfiber towels are not tested to this standard and use a different fiber construction. The Hero Hair Towel was also named Byrdie Best Hair Towel Overall, a distinction no generic microfiber towel has earned.
What kind of hair is the VOLO Hero Hair Towel good for?
The Hero Hair Towel works for all hair types, including straight, wavy, curly, and coily hair. The Nanoweave® fabric is particularly beneficial for color-treated and chemically processed hair because it reduces the time hair spends in its most fragile wet state. For curly hair, it is a popular choice for the plopping method because the tighter weave absorbs water efficiently without disturbing the curl pattern.
How do I use a hair towel correctly?
After washing, gently squeeze excess water from your hair before applying the towel. Do not rub. Place the VOLO Hero Hair Towel at the nape of your neck and wrap, twist (or plop) your hair into it, then tuck into the signature Snug Strap. Leave on for 10 to 20 minutes. The Nanoweave® fabric wicks water away from your hair shaft during this time, so when you remove it, your hair is significantly drier and ready to air dry or style with less heat.
A note on Aquis's legacy
Aquis spent more than 30 years building the case that hair towels matter. The brand earned a loyal following because the idea was right: the right fabric, used correctly, makes hair healthier over time. That insight does not disappear with the brand.
VOLO Beauty was founded on the same conviction, and Nanoweave® is the answer for anyone who understood why Aquis was worth paying attention to. We are here, we are in stock, and the clinical data is real.
Aquis is discontinued in the US. The VOLO Hero Hair Towel is the clinically tested upgrade. Nanoweave® fabric dries hair 50% faster, Intertek verified.