Hammam Towels Origins
A question I am asked countless times! Happily I say, not only are they amazingly good at soaking up water, but they are also incredibly light and pack down small, making them so versatile.
More commonly referred to in Turkey as Peshtemals or Hammam, these flat woven towels date back hundreds of years to the Ottoman period, where they were used in the Hammam baths.
Today it seems their popularity is growing. In fact these towels create a buzz with people that use them. Why do they get so excited about a towel, read on and you will find out!
Natural Fibres
Made from 100% Turkish cotton, they feel super soft. Over time and use this softness improves, similar to a fine wine! One of the great benefits though, is that being a natural fibre they are not polluting our oceans with plastic particles. The same cannot be said of micro fibre towels.
Lightweight that pulls a punch
Machine or handwoven using long fibres, compared to terry towel pile, this construction makes them surprisingly light and compact.
But don’t be fooled by their weight though. They soak up water as good as a terry towel, yet dry far quicker then traditional towels. How great is that? As with anything quality is a factor, so it is always worth checking the number of grams of cotton per square meter.
Versatile
Perfect for the beach, they also make great sarongs, picnic blankets, throws or towels for the spa.
Compact and light they pack easily, which makes them the go to choice when space is an issue.
To illustrate this, at events I take my vintage miniture suitcase packed with Hammam towels. Comfortably I can pack 4 and yet I know I couldn't even pack one traditional towel.
Continuing with how versatile they are, don't just think beach. Think all kinds of travel, festivals, sailing (trust me this was a game changer for us), surfing, camping, glamping, swimming and the gym. The list goes on but I think by now you are getting the picture!
It's a great feeling when you are introduced or use something that exceeds your expectations. Well that is exactly what happened to me with these towels. Now I understand why people get a excited about them, which is how Lorima came to be.
We certainly hope you have enjoyed our first blog and that we inspired you enough to try one for yourself.
Bernice x
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