The original Turkish hamam towel, handwoven in Denizli since Roman times. Our Soft Striped Peshtemal is made from 100% long-staple Turkish cotton using traditional flat-weave techniques that date back over 1,000 years. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, it's the lightweight, quick-drying, endlessly versatile towel that the entire Mediterranean has loved for centuries — and now you can bring it home.

What Is a Peshtemal?

A peshtemal (pronounced "pesh-te-mahl") is a traditional Turkish hamam towel — flat-woven, lightweight, and deeply absorbent. Originally used in Ottoman bathhouses for centuries, peshtemals have become a favorite of travelers, minimalists, and anyone who appreciates simple, functional beauty. One peshtemal does the job of three regular towels: beach towel, bath towel, scarf, picnic blanket, travel throw.

"A peshtemal travels better than any towel I know. It dries in an hour, weighs nothing, and it looks good whether you're at the beach or drying dishes in your kitchen."
— Head Weaver, Babadağ Village Workshop

Why Striped Peshtemals Are Special

The stripes aren't just decoration — they're a signature of traditional Turkish craftsmanship. Each stripe is woven into the fabric itself (not printed), using different colored yarns on the loom. The pattern tells you this was made by someone who knows what they're doing. No shortcuts, no printing, just real weaving.

• Handwoven in Denizli — 1,000-year textile heritage
• 100% long-staple Turkish cotton — softer, stronger, more absorbent
• Flat-weave construction — the signature peshtemal lightweight feel
• Woven stripes — never fade, never peel
• Quick-drying — no musty smell, no mildew
• OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified — safe for sensitive skin

The Denizli Way

Our peshtemals come from Denizli, where master weavers still use traditional looms to produce some of the world's finest textiles. The combination of pure spring water, long-staple cotton from the Aegean region, and generations of weaving knowledge creates a peshtemal that's simply better than factory-made alternatives.

OEKO-TEX Standard 100 — Certified Clean

Every thread, every dye, every detail has been tested under OEKO-TEX Standard 100 — the world's most trusted textile safety certification. No harmful chemicals, no toxic residues, no skin allergens. Safe for babies, gentle for sensitive skin.

A Peshtemal's Many Lives

• 🛁 Bath towel — absorbs fast, dries faster
• 🏖️ Beach towel — sand doesn't cling, packs flat
• ♨️ Spa & hamam — the original hamam towel
• ✈️ Travel — weighs next to nothing, dries in an hour
• 🍽️ Kitchen cloth — elegant and practical
• 🧣 Scarf or shawl — lightweight layer for cool evenings
• 🧺 Picnic blanket — pack flat, spread wide

Sizes

Traditional peshtemal size: approximately 37" × 70" (95 × 180 cm) — the classic Turkish hamam proportion. Large enough to wrap around your body, small enough to fold into a pocket.

Care Instructions

• Machine wash cold with similar colors
• Tumble dry low or hang to dry (peshtemals love air drying)
• Iron on medium if desired — brings out the soft luster
• Do not use fabric softener (reduces absorbency)
• No bleach needed — OEKO-TEX certified
• The cotton will bloom and soften with each wash

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does a peshtemal compare to a regular terry towel?
A: Peshtemals are flat-woven (not looped like terry), which makes them 3× lighter and 5× faster to dry. They're also more versatile — you can use one peshtemal as a towel, beach wrap, scarf, or throw. Terry towels are plushier but heavier, slower to dry, and single-purpose.

Q: Is it absorbent?
A: Surprisingly yes! Long-staple Turkish cotton absorbs water beautifully despite the flat weave. It may look thin, but it dries you just as well as a terry towel — and much faster.

Q: Will the stripes fade?
A: No — our stripes are woven into the fabric with different colored yarns, not printed on top. They'll never fade, peel, or crack.

Q: Is it big enough for a full-size bath towel?
A: Yes. At 37" × 70", it's the traditional Turkish bath towel size — larger than most bath towels sold in the US.

Q: Where does the cotton come from?
A: Grown in the Aegean region of Turkey, where long-staple cotton has been cultivated since ancient times.

Tradition Meets Modern Life

Explore our full peshtemal collection in different stripe patterns and colors. Or see our waffle weave towels if you prefer textured absorbency.

Handwoven in Denizli, Turkey. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified. 100% long-staple Turkish cotton.