Before the fluffy terry towel existed, there was the peshtemal. It came out of the Turkish hammam, where a flat woven cotton cloth had to do several jobs at once: wrap the body, dry it, and dry itself quickly in a humid room full of steam.
That origin explains almost everything about how a Turkish towel behaves today. Understanding it makes the difference between being disappointed by your first peshtemal and knowing exactly what you bought.
What Peshtemal Means
Peshtemal, sometimes written pestemal, is the Turkish word for the woven cotton wrap traditionally used in hammams, the public bathhouses that have been part of Turkish life for centuries.
In the hammam, bulk was a problem. A thick towel stays wet in humid air, gets heavy, and takes up space in a room where people are moving. A flat woven cloth solved all three: it wrapped comfortably, dried the body, and dried out again quickly between uses.
The design was never about luxury in the plush sense. It was about a cloth that works hard and stays practical.
How the Flat Weave Works
A terry towel is made by weaving loops that stand up from the base fabric. Those loops hold water, which is why terry feels absorbent and also why it stays damp for hours.
A peshtemal has no loops. The cotton threads run flat and tight across the surface. Water is taken up across the whole cloth rather than trapped inside standing fibers, so the towel dries you and then releases that moisture into the air quickly.
Fewer loops also means less bulk. A peshtemal folds down to a fraction of the size of a terry towel with the same dimensions, which is why they travel so well.
Why Turkish Cotton Specifically
Cotton grown in the Aegean region of Turkey produces long fibers, and long fibers matter for a flat weave. Short fibers leave more ends exposed at the surface, which is what makes cheaper cotton feel rough and go stiff after washing.
Long staple cotton lies smoother. It is also why a Turkish towel does the opposite of what most people expect from cotton: it starts slightly crisp and gets softer with every wash, as the fibers relax and open up.
All Naturloom peshtemals are woven from OEKO-TEX certified Turkish cotton, which means the finished fabric has been tested for harmful substances for everyday textile use.
The Fringe Is Not Decoration
The twisted fringe at each end of a peshtemal is the warp threads, knotted by hand to stop the weave unravelling. It is a structural finish that became a visual signature.
Practically, it means the ends of the towel do not need a bulky hem, which keeps the whole cloth flat and easy to fold. If the fringe tangles in the wash, comb it straight with your fingers while damp.
What a Peshtemal Is Good At Today
The hammam is gone from most people's daily life, but the problems it solved have not changed. Small bathrooms, shared bathrooms, packed suitcases, humid coastal air and sandy beaches all reward a towel that dries fast and packs small.
That is why a single peshtemal covers so many uses: bath towel, beach towel, pool towel, gym towel, travel towel, and a wrap or light throw when it is not drying anyone. Our Turkish beach towels and peshtemals are made in one size, 36 x 67 inches, for exactly this reason.
What to Expect From a New One
A brand new peshtemal is not at its best. It feels slightly crisp, and it will not absorb as much as it eventually will. That is normal for a flat weave and it changes over the first few washes as the cotton relaxes.
If you judge a Turkish towel on day one, you will judge it wrong. Give it three washes before deciding what you think.
Caring for a Peshtemal
Wash it alone the first time. Use a gentle cycle at 86°F (30°C) and tumble dry on low heat. If air drying, hang or lay it in a well ventilated area and avoid stretching the fabric while wet. Do not use bleach and do not dry clean. Avoid washing it with jeans or anything that has small hooks, which can pull at the weave or catch the fringe.
Skip fabric softener. It coats the cotton fibers and works directly against the absorbency the flat weave is built for.
Shop Turkish Towels
- Shop Turkish Beach Towels and Peshtemals
- Shop the Beach, Bath and Travel Peshtemal
- Shop Organic Muslin Blankets
Read Next
For a direct comparison with terry, read Turkish Beach Towel vs Regular Beach Towel.
For the certification behind our towels, read What OEKO-TEX Certification Means for Turkish Cotton Towels.
The Bottom Line
A peshtemal is a flat woven Turkish cotton cloth designed in the hammam for a humid room and a small space. No loops means it dries fast, folds small, sheds sand, and softens rather than stiffens with age.
Naturloom peshtemals are woven from OEKO-TEX certified Turkish cotton and ship from our small family business in Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a peshtemal?
A peshtemal is a flat woven Turkish cotton towel traditionally used in hammams, the public bathhouses of Turkey. It has no terry loops, which is why it dries quickly and folds down small.
What is the difference between a peshtemal and a Turkish towel?
They are the same thing. Peshtemal is the Turkish name, and Turkish towel is the term used more commonly in English.
Why do Turkish towels have fringe?
The fringe is made from the warp threads knotted by hand to stop the weave from unravelling. It is a structural finish rather than decoration, and it keeps the ends of the towel flat.
Why does my new Turkish towel feel stiff?
Flat woven cotton starts slightly crisp and relaxes over the first few washes. Absorbency also improves as the fibers open up, so a new peshtemal does not represent how it will feel after a month.
Is Turkish cotton better for towels?
Turkish cotton from the Aegean region produces long fibers, which lie smoother in a flat weave and soften with washing rather than becoming stiff. Our peshtemals use OEKO-TEX certified Turkish cotton.