Pestemal towel
turkishtowelstore.com

 Harriet Bell alerted us to a great find: cotton Turkish towels (we love testamonials from people we trust). She wrote:

I bought two of these about six weeks ago and I’m going to buy more.   They are great bath towels, lightweight and wash/dry beautifully.  No more terrycloth for me.

No wrinkles. They are incredibly absorbent. Take up little space. I bought red and white ones and the colors have stayed, too!  So far we’ve just used them as bath towels, but they’d be great to take a nap on in Central Park or take to the beach. Even use as a wrap/shawl! Our terrycloth towels are lonely in the linen closet.

We imagine they’d make a great sarong, table cloth, curtain…

Pestamal towel
indigotraders.com

Harriet found hers at Joss & Main, a time-limited members-only sale sight where they’ve sold like hotcakes. The sale is over so we hunted around for anothe source, and think we’ve found them at Indigo Traders, and at the Turkish Towel Store, where they come in a wide array, from neutrals to vivid colors. They’re called Peshtemal towels; here’s a great overview.

The dilemma: how to choose…

Thanks Harriet!

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5 replies on “pretty, multi-purpose find: turkish towels

  1. My goodness, $29 ++ for one bath towel? My goodness!

  2. I hear these towels last YEARS, and they are also multipurpose…My experience is that beautiful WELL-MADE things can be a bargain, even if they initially seem pricey, if they give pleasure over time…a kind of amortization.

  3. ahhh…my bath towel just cost me 55 euro! I should have gotten 2 for 1.
    I bought it at Cibreo in Firenze. I got the linen and organic cotton one and Fabio
    is a great marketer and salesman.

    I have no doubt that I will find a million uses for it, even as a shawl or scarf!

    These are amazing garments, soothing and soulful. I’m just glad that I have one that’s at this point strewn across the couch. It looks so pretty.

  4. Once you are used to traditional turkish towels, you would never use again classic terry cloths or fluffy towels.
    Why you should use more when you can do same with less ?
    Turkish towels are not only practical but also sustainable. They use half amount the cotton that regular towels are using.
    It’s getting really popular everywhere. The designs are also getting more stylish.
    Check this website for variety of Turkish towels : Koza Turkish towels>

    Cheers

  5. I just simply love them, I was introduced to them 2 years ago in Panama, where I am form and a well known friend was bringing them to sell from Istanbul, bought for and they are absolutely great, i use them as towels, to go to the beach, to cover myself when it gets a little chilly out there… every time i pull them out people just can’t stop commenting on them. Now guess what? I just got to Istanbul, and will buy tons of them!

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