Details of these contemporary hammam towels dropped into my inbox today as if by magic, because they’re exactly what I’m looking for. We need new towels but I don’t want to buy more white towels right now as summer for my pasty fair skin involves self-tan. And white towels + self-tan = a grubby mess. (Even – especially – after a shower. Maybe I need a new loofah).
The recent hot, humid weather also had me thinking about lighter weight linens – the usual terry towels felt too heavy, thick and hot. And then, hey presto, from the lovely folk at Urbanara comes the best collection of contemporary hammam towels I’ve seen.
(I’m also a huge fan of Urbanara’s cleanly designed, ultra-easy-to-use site and great customer service. A recent purchase arrived promptly and beautifully packaged in brown kraft paper – even for something as everyday as a doormat, it still felt very special).
But back to hammam towels. Fast gaining popularity, these lightweight, cotton towels originally hail from Turkey where they’re traditionally used in their bath-houses – the hammams. We actually bought a couple whilst on a trip there a couple of years ago, and now take them on holiday as beach towels as they’re so light and take up so little space. In addition, they’re super-absorbent, fast-drying and incredibly versatile – they also get used as sarongs, picnic blankets and sometimes for carrying things in bundles.
But hammam towels aren’t just for holidays, they’re a fantastic addition to your home too. Besides the obvious use in the bathroom, they can also be used as throws on beds and furniture, as tablecloths and for picnics and as lightweight wraps for sitting out on cool evenings.
If traditional stripes aren’t your thing the Urbanara collection has some rather gorgeous contemporary patterns, in both monochrome and updated colour palettes, and there are also some linen blends which add extra refinement and luxury to these hammam towels.
Contemporary hammam towels for home and holidays
Eldes Hammam towel, above, in 100% cotton, featuring a refined thin stripe design with a goose-eye diamond band on each edge, and measuring a generous 95 x 180 cm.
Above and below: Pilis Hammam Towel. The 50% cotton and 50% European-grown linen blend gives it a luxurious drape and a smooth, silky finish. You’ll notice the Pilis doesn’t have tassels, which also gives it a more contemporary feel
Hand-loomed in north Tunisia using traditional techniques, the Mahdia Hammam Towel above is high-quality cotton, with a delicate partridge eye weave in charcoal and off-white, finished with a black, striped border and twisted, knotted tassels along the width. (And perfect to solve the self-tan issue).
Known as a fouta towel in its native Tunisia and Algeria, the Mahdia also comes in beige and white, and this delicious raspberry pink below, which I love combined with the dark border – I’m smitten.
The Cesme Hammam Towel features a white diamond design created using a jacquard weave and comes in four colourways including this soft grey, below.
To finish I couldn’t resist these brighter colours. These more traditional Malatya Hammam Towels, above, have a classic striped design but come in 3 very contemporary colourways – blue and mint, shades of pink, and dusty pink and blue. They’re hand-loomed in Istanbul, the home of hammams, from soft, long staple cotton, making them thick and absorbent but still very light and quick-drying.
And I’ve also fallen hard for the elegant stripe of the Argil Hammam Towel, its 60/40 cotton/linen blend and the beautifully contemporary coral, mint or turquoise colourways.
Whether you prefer traditional or contemporary I hope you find something you love to brighten up your summer.
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