Guide
What Is a Turkish Towel? The Complete Guide
5 August 2026
A Turkish towel — peshtemal in Turkish — is a flat-woven cotton towel used in Turkish hammams for centuries. Unlike terry towelling it has no loops: the weave is thin, dense and therefore remarkably light, quick to dry and easy to pack. Those qualities are exactly why the Turkish towel has become a companion for the beach, the sauna, the bathroom, yoga and travel.
How do you recognise a good Turkish towel?
Three things decide quality: material, weave and finishing. A fine Turkish towel is 100% cotton — at Lucidus, Turkish cotton woven in the region around Edirne, the historic city of Adrianople. The weave sets the character: we weave two patterns, Herringbone (fine, classic) and Diamond (textured, with a subtle relief). Hand-knotted fringes at the ends are the mark of careful finishing — machine-stitched hems fray sooner.
Turkish towel vs. terry towel
- Weight: A peshtemal weighs a fraction of a bath towel — ideal for suitcases and beach bags.
- Drying: With no looped pile it dries far faster — no musty smell, even after a full beach day.
- Sand: Sand barely clings to the smooth weave — one shake and it’s gone.
- Versatility: towel, beach blanket, sauna towel, sarong, scarf, picnic blanket or throw.
The absorbency surprises people: flat weave takes up water just as reliably — it simply feels different. Smoother, cooler, less plush. And a Turkish towel gets softer and more absorbent with every wash.
What is a Turkish towel good for?
Almost everything you’d reach for a towel for — and more. On the beach it replaces the bulky bath sheet, in the sauna it lies pleasantly cool on the skin, and when travelling it fits in any bag. At home it works as bath towel, guest towel or sofa throw — and with 21 colours to choose from, it offers more range than most terry lines.
Quick answers
Is a Turkish towel absorbent? Yes — and it becomes more absorbent with each wash.
How big is a Turkish towel? Generously cut — large enough to wrap yourself in completely.
How do you wash one? Machine wash at 40 °C — full details in How to Wash a Turkish Towel.