What the Internet is Saying About…Turkish Towels

Why, hello there! I’m Taryn. I feel the need to introduce myself, since I’ve been living under a rock all these years. A friend recently reached out to me explaining that she was looking at buying a Turkish towel–sometimes called Peshtemal, Hammam or Fouta towels–and wanted to know if I had any opinions on them. Well, no, seeing as I’ve never used one or even heard of them. If you, like my friend, have questions about these lightweight towels’ absorbency and how they hold up over time, here are a few pearls of wisdom from the internet.

“[Turkey] is known for producing some of the highest quality cotton products in the world and the towels are as absorbent as traditional towels but take up less room and dry very quickly.” – A Piece of Toast

“I bought two from this Etsy shop to start. We liked them so much and they worked so well (i.e., they dry out completely in a short amount of time so no more mildewy-smelling towels!) that I ordered another five during a sale the shop was running a few weeks ago. I bought all different colors and patterns. I like mixing the towels. They add a little fun to our otherwise neutral bathroom. I get way too excited about them.” – House*Tweaking

Ed: I found Dana of House*Tweaking to have a really honest, impartial but passionate review. Check it out if you’re on the fence about buying these towels for your family.

“The soft cotton is lightweight and super absorbent, making them dry much more quickly than a traditional cotton terry towel. They often come in bright colors as well as more muted tones, and are extremely versatile for bath and beach, even as a scarf, sarong, or a summer throw.” – Perpetually Chic

“They make the perfect pool towel but you can also use them as scarfs, wraps, or even as tablecloths.” – Goop

“Quick story! On a recent vacation to Mexico, someone kicked a daiquiri all over my lovely Pestamel on the beach (ugh!). Impulsively, I raced to the water to rinse it off, rang it out, and draped the towel over a palm tree to dry. Within 15 minutes, the thing was as good as new, if not even softer than before. Truly amazing quality.” – Chanel Dror, on CamilleStyles.com

Turkish towels–sometimes called Peshtemal, Hammam or Fouta towels–are made from Turkish Cotton, a premium cotton that has extra long fibers. Using longer fiber cotton means fewer joins, which results in stronger and smoother cotton threads. Because of this unique material, Turkish towels are known to become even softer, fluffier, and more absorbent with successive washings.

Ready to try them out yourself? Check out some of our recommendations below!

This post was originally published on October 19, 2015, and was last updated on April 29, 2019, to reflect current offerings and prices.