Why are Turkish towels so good?

As you probably know by now, I live in Cyprus with my husband and son. Fortunately, we live very close, to the beach so we go there very often from June until November. We need plenty of towels to get through a summer season. Recently I came across Turkish Towels. Have you heard of them before? I haven’t but I was fed up with my “normal” beach towels.

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Every time we go to the sea, I need to pack at least 3 towels and my beach bag is instantly filled up. Plus when you go home from the beach you have to carry them and they usually become big, bulky wet towels. So I did some research on the topic and I found out the following advantages of having a Turkish towel in your beach bag. So here they are:

Where does it come from?

As the name suggests it comes from Turkey. Sometimes people call it hammam towel or Fouta towels or Pesthemal. When you visit a Turkish bath – hammam – you need to bring your towel. That’s why they invented them.

What is a Turkish towel used for?

You can dry yourself by using a Turkish Towel. But you can take it to the beach – as I mentioned before – or if you go to the pool. You can use it in the sauna or if you – are lucky enough to visit a hammam, you can use it there too. 

So you can use it as a towel of course but it’s versatile. There are different ways to use it in everyday life or when you travel. It’s a travel bath towel or beach towel. You can also use it as a sarong when you go to the beach and you would like to cover up yourself. Use it as a dress or a skirt if you want to visit a church or a religious place. 

Sometimes you have to cover your head, it can be a very useful headscarf too. It won’t take up a big space in your bag so you can carry it with you all the time. 

When you travel and you don’t have space for a beach blanket you can tie it into a beach bag. Voilá! You don’t even have to carry an extra bag with you.

Not only in hot weather but it can be very useful in cold weather too. Use it as a scarf and you won’t be chilly on the plane. Some people use it as a beach blanket, travel or even picnic blanket. The A/C on the plane or in the train can be cold on a hot summer day, so you can use it as a normal blanket too.

Boho families can swaddle their babies in a Turkish towel. It’s a strong material so you can use it for anything and everything. You can is it at home as a hand towel too. 

Click to see more Turkish towels on Amazon >>

Click to see Turkish hand towels on Amazon >>

Are Turkish towels better?

Yes, they are. They are made of very high-quality cotton which has longer fibres. It makes the fabric stronger, they are much softer and most importantly more absorbent. I think high absorbency is the keyword here. They air dry so much quicker than a normal towel. 

What does a Turkish towel feel like?

It feels much softer than a terry-cloth towel. The terry-cloth towels are usually made with shorter loops so they aren’t as soft as Turkish towels. The extra-long fibres in Turkish towels make them so soft and thinner too. 

Egyptian towel vs. Turkish towel?

Some people just love Egyptian towels and swear by it but there are disadvantages of these nice, fluffy Egyptian towels too. They have very high absorbency that’s why they are so good – here comes a but – BUT they dry very slowly. When you take them to the beach or the pool it takes ages to become dry again. 

While Turkish towels have a perfect balance: high absorbency and air drying very quickly. It’s the perfect combination, you just can’t go wrong with it. 

Is it easier to pack them?

Absolutely! They take up much less space in your luggage than terry-cloth towels. Why? Because they are much thinner. 

When we went on holidays – (that was before Cyprus) now because we live on a holiday island you don’t go on holiday that much – I had always trouble with packing our towels. They take up too much space. 

How big are Turkish towels?

The usual size is 40” x 70” so compared to a regular bath towel – whose size is 27”x 52” – is much larger. It’s a very generous size.

How do you wash Turkish towels?

The best way to wash them is in cold or medium heat water. Try to use a gentle cycle and always wash them with similar colours. 

Most importantly, never use fabric softener or bleach. Why? Because they make your towel less absorbent. You can always use vinegar to get rid of the extra detergent (only once a month). 

How do you keep your Turkish towel soft?

Use less detergent because they make your towel very stiff. The soapy residue builds up in the cotton and it makes it stiffer. 

Avoid washing it in very hot water, warm water or even cold water is fine. As I mentioned before, use vinegar instead of fabric softener. 

Don’t wash too many things together, try to lighten your washing load. Use a tennis ball or dryer ball too.

If you can air dry it, please do so. Don’t tumble dry. I know you can’t always avoid it but if you can then don’t use it. 

GOOD ADVICE: before the first use, soak your towel in cold water for 12 hours in your tub. Some makers do it but some don’t. It will help the cotton fibres to bloom and expand. In this way, you will keep your towel soft and very absorbent. You only need to do it once but it’s worth doing it.

Can you put Turkish towels in the dryer?

Yes, you can but don’t overdo it and try to use lower heat. Unfortunately, the dryer can damage the integrity of the cotton. So try to air dry it as much as possible, it’s better for the towel (for the environment too).

Can I iron Turkish towels?

Yes, you can. You can smooth out any unwanted wrinkles. Some companies who sell them advice you to iron them before the first use. It will ensure that your towel will get even softer.

Do Turkish towels shed?

Turkish towels are made of natural fibre and they do shed some fibres. But because of their high quality, they will remain in good shape for years if you look after them. Don’t use fabric softener and tumble dry it only when it’s really necessary. 

How do you keep coloured Turkish towels from fading?

You can prevent colours from bleeding by washing similar colours together at a lower temperature. When you wash your Turkish towel just use half of the recommended amount of detergent, don’t overdo it.

A great way to keep your coloured towel from fading is to add half/1 cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. The colours usually don’t run but they can fad if you expose them to the sun for a very long time. 

Are Turkish towels lightweight?

Absolutely! They are very lightweight. They weigh between 250 and 450 grams. That’s why they are perfect “travel companion”. When you travel, backpacking every gram of weight counts. 

Conclusion:

Turkish towels are very useful if you go to the beach or when you travel. You can use it in versatile ways from beach towel to a dress. It’s highly absorbent, it dries quickly and very light yet a piece of strong fabric. It doesn’t fade and loses its colour. It has a generous size but because of its lightweight, you can even carry it around in your handbag. 

Love,
Noemi xxx

 

Do you have a Turkish towel? Tell me in the comment below!

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