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The Best Bandana

Last updated on August 10, 2024
Best Bandana

Our Review Process

Don't Waste Your Money is focused on helping you make the best purchasing decision. Our team of experts spends hundreds of hours analyzing, testing, and researching products so you don't have to. Learn more.

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Our Picks For The Top Bandanas

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Product Overview
Key Takeaway
 Top Pick

Bycc Bynn Classic Unisex Bandanas, 3-Pack

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Bycc Bynn

Classic Unisex Bandanas, 3-Pack

Available in 17 different color combinations, you're sure to find this bandana set in shades that match your wardrobe. Each set includes three bandanas, all of which feature a classic paisley pattern. The bandanas work great as hairpieces, scarves or fashion accessories.

Overall Take

Budget-Friendly PickYou'll love the affordable price tag on this bandana set.

 Runner Up

E-accexpert Daily Polyester Bandanas, 16-Pack

E-accexpert

Daily Polyester Bandanas, 16-Pack

With this bandana set, you'll receive a whopping 16 pieces. The bandanas are gender-neutral and come in a variety of shades with a traditional paisley pattern. Kids can use the bandanas to complete their cowboy or pirate costume, while parents put them to work as face masks, hair ties or wristbands.

Overall Take

Stock UpSince these bandanas are constructed using 100% polyester material, they are soft to the touch and skin-friendly.

 We Also Like

Levi’s Classic Tie-Closure Bandanas, 3-Pack

Levi's

Classic Tie-Closure Bandanas, 3-Pack

You will find multiple uses for these bandanas. They are available in many different colors, and are 100% cotton. Note that they need to be hand washed.

Overall Take

Versatile and FunctionalThese classic bandanas can be used as head wraps, scarves and handkerchiefs.

 Strong Contender

L&M Ultra Soft Unisex Bandanas, 12-Pack

L&M

Ultra Soft Unisex Bandanas, 12-Pack

Constructed from 100% cotton, this bandana is super soft to the touch. It's quite versatile and can be worn both indoors and outdoors as a scarf, headband, wristband or face covering. If you're not interested in the colorful paisley prints, you'll also find the banana is sold in solid colors, as well as camo and American flag prints.

Overall Take

Skin-Friendly OptionThis bandana gets softer after each wash.

Buying Guide

A bandana is a highly versatile fashion accessory that is used in many parts of the world, by people both young and old. Typically, it’s a small square of cloth measuring around 20 inches by 20 inches. The material is usually a soft cotton, which is easy to wash and dry. Often bandanas come in a solid color with a paisley or abstract print in black and white on top of the color. Many of the motifs on bandanas are in a teardrop shape and also include curved lines, dots and leaf shapes.

The printing on the bandana is often done in one of three different ways. Discharge printing is a process where a bandana is dyed one color, and then chlorine or bleach is used to imprint a pattern in white onto the cloth. Screen printing is done using a mesh stencil that transfers black or colored ink onto the cloth. Another method, resist dyeing, is where a blank bandana is treated with a chemical solution in specific areas forming a pattern. Then the cloth is dyed a block color. The areas that had the chemical solution resist the dye, creating a unique look.

What to Look For

  • Bandanas are versatile, functional and fashionable. You can use one to wrap around your head or neck, or you can use it as a handkerchief to blow your nose or cover your mouth when you cough.
  • When selecting a bandana, consider how you want to use it. This will help you choose the right material for you. If your bandana is purely functional, ensure it can be cleaned in the washing machine and dryer. If your goal is more fashionable, opt for a material that is easy to tie and flows nicely.
  • Bandanas are a nice way to add a pop of color to your look. They typically come in one solid color and have a pattern in either white or black. Some patterned bandanas use other colors for their imprint, such as yellow or orange.
  • Most bandanas are made in a standard size of around 20 inches square. However, you can find slightly smaller or larger ones as well.
  •  Depending on how you’re going to use them, it may be handy to buy more than one. A set will give you a few different options for adding to your outfit. Even if they are purely for blowing your nose, having multiples is convenient because it means you don’t have to wash them all the time.

More to Explore

There are many ways to wear a bandana. One classic look is to tie a bandana around your hair like a scarf. If you wear a pair of dark sunglasses, you’ll channel an Audrey Hepburn look. Tying a bandana around your neck with the tie to the side creates a sophisticated look. This works especially well with larger bandanas. You can also fold a bandana into a strip and then use it in your hair as a hairband. A large bandana can also be used to create a strapless top or bustier by tying it around your midsection.

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