Looking back into history, a Peshtemal Hammam towel is a flat-woven, cotton fabric that has been primarily used as a traditional cloth in Turkish Hammams to cover the nudity while bathing with some other fellow bathers in the Hammam.
The contemporary peshtemal hammam towel that we know and use today has evolved from this historical Turkish hammam tradition. Nowadays, they are known to be super absorbent and quick-dry bath & travel towels, very popular with outdoor people favouring active and adventurous lifestyle as they are also ultra-versatile in use and lightweight.
Cotton & Olive Peshtemal Hammam towels are 100% pure cotton. They have a very distinctive stripe pattern coming in various shapes & sizes and hand-finished tassels on the fringes which make these towels truly authentic. Cotton and bamboo blends which are known to be the lightest ever peshtemal towels are very sought-after, especially by travellers, holidaymakers where weight is a major concern. Bamboo is a natural fibre, very well known for its high absorbency, lightness and silky softness.
Both cotton and bamboo are highly sustainable, eco-friendly fibres contributing to the world economy and are widely used in the textile industry. The Turkish peshtemal has been traditionally woven on hand looms inch by inch by local craftsmen for generations. In the southwest of Turkey where we source our products straight from the artisan craftsmen, this truly humble family tradition is still a very vibrant lifestyle passed on to the younger generations, boys and girls in this part of Turkey. Each unique pattern created belongs to a specific craftsman and his family. They have the honour of naming their creation and it becomes their trademark.
The size of a peshtemal hammam towel may vary slightly as they are hand-loomed. However, in general, its standard size is 90×180 cm and the average weight is +/-300 grams. Once it is folded or rolled, a peshtemal towel becomes absolutely compact to pack and carry. They are lightweight, fluff-free towels that are easy to wash and extremely fast-dry. Last but not least, the Turkish peshtemal towel is a long-lasting and colour-fast fabric.
Its compactness and practicality allow it to be used and enjoyed in every possible way such as a picnic or beach blanket, a sarong or a trendy scarf, a sofa throw, a tablecloth or a modesty and/or head cover just to name a few. All these combined features of a peshtemal hammam towel make it a popular and trendy yet utilitarian product for travellers, campers and for other outdoor activities as much as for indoors.
There has been a remarkable increase in demand for the peshtemal towel in recent years. They certainly represent a lifestyle that is definitely greener, kinder and closer to nature. A Peshtemal is an alternative product that particularly appeals to the open-minded people thinking out of the box who enjoy outdoors, sports, adventure, holidaying, camping, hiking, travelling. We really hope you give a try to these inspiring towels and enjoy them as much as we do and share our passion for them…