Here at Sankara, our latest obsession is our Turkish towels. These towels are unlike any other you’ve used before. Not only are they beautifully woven on traditional hand looms, but they also last 3 – 6 times longer and absorb better than other towels.
Each towel is hand woven by Turkish artisans on traditional shuttle looms using techniques dating back to the Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. Each full-sized double looped Turkish bath towel takes approximately 3-4 shifts to complete. Smaller sizes take a bit less time. The towels are produced using only top quality, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) organic certified Turkish grown cotton. The thread is spun in central Turkey and only dyes and finishes that are GOTS certified organic are used. The towels are made in small villages in the south and southeast of Turkey on old style shuttled looms.
As the cotton in these towels are certified organic at every step from the raw cotton grown in Gaziantep through to the dyes and finishes, they maintain their luxurious texture and weight for the full life of the towel. And, due to the natural dyes and traditional techniques of processing the cotton, the finished towels maintain the natural properties of the cotton and are anti-bacterial. They will also never become stiff when hanging dry, and will last for at least 30 years of regular use!
In the shop you can find a variety of these amazing towels in two weaves, the double looped bath towels and the flat weave pestamels. The double looped towels come in sizes ranging from washcloths to the full size, Turkish Bath towel. The pestamels are accompanied by peshkars, which make fabulous dishcloths for the kitchen as well as hand towels or hair towels. The pestamels, due to their lightweight weave are not only just as absorbent as the double looped towels, but are also easy to pack for camping, swimming, traveling, or any other reason you need a towel on the go!
Come find your own luxurious towels for your home or as a gift for that VERY special someone!
(Select photos by Sarah Walters and Jennifer’s Hamam).
