To peshtemal or not to peshtemal, that is the question

July 12, 2022 2:24 PM

Bath towels have been the bane of my existence. I've gravitated toward soft, thick towels and have spent a fortune buying expensive and not-so-expensive towels. Within a year they all end up stiff, rough, or unsightly because the bands shrink. I've tried various laundry methods to avoid these problems, but am now Fed Up. I learned about peshtemal towels here on Ask Metafilter, and I'm wondering how they function as ordinary bath towels. Those of you who have used them, what say you? Is there anything in particular I should look for in buying them?
posted by DrGail to Home & Garden (14 answers total)

I switched from terrycloth to peshtemal towels more than five years ago and I really like them. They absorb water just as well, they dry out quickly, they don't get as stinky. They're a tiny bit rougher in texture than soft new terrycloth towels, but nowhere near as rough as a very old terrycloth towel (personally I like a rough towel and dislike very soft terry towels, which was one of the factors in switching). They seem to be lasting well with regular use. One minor downside is that they're not quite as warm to wrap up in during winter, but I solve that with a thick terrycloth bathrobe.

I didn't buy any specific brand, just the cheapest four-pack I could find online at the time, and they've been great.
posted by terretu at 2:35 PM on July 12, 2022

Oh preview, I had no idea the dryer advice was a thing and have been putting them in the dryer after every wash with no ill effects.
posted by terretu at 2:36 PM on July 12, 2022

I got one because I was curious and it’s turned out to be my favorite towel that I use all the time, and I’ll be getting more. I got a really big one so maybe it’s not as FLUFFY to wrap up in, but much more practical because you can wrap and tuck it around and it actually stays on.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 2:40 PM on July 12, 2022

I have several of these towels that I use on rotation, along with "regular" towels. For the record, I air* dry towels, and don't use any fabric softener. I do like that they dry relatively quickly. I don't find them quite as absorbent as "regular" towels of a comparable size. I don't find them particularly soft, but I don't find the texture uncomfortably rough either. I do appreciate how they make great scarves, so I can celebrate Towel Day (any day) in a more "socially acceptable manner."

*mostly due to cheapness/ environmental reasons vs. an incompatibility per se with the dryer.
posted by oceano at 2:44 PM on July 12, 2022

I switched years ago and never looked back. I like how quick they dry you and then themselves. Peshtemal get softer the more you wash and dry them, and don't get the moist funk smell terrycloth gets. Also packs small and double as a shawl/skirt, which is great for travel.
Look for 100% cotton, on the thick side with a tight weave. My best ones came from a fair trade store, but I got decent ones online too. Go luxuriously big so you can use them for the beach or picnics.
posted by Freyja at 2:51 PM on July 12, 2022

I have a bunch of these and love them so much.

Even in humid weather they dry, and they don't smell bad. They are ridiculously efficient and absorbent. They're big but lightweight, so I can use a hair clip to clasp them and wear them around like a dress while I dry off if it's hot.

I just treat them like normal towels and wash and dry them with everything else.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 2:58 PM on July 12, 2022

I tend to use regular towels at home because I like the fluffiness, but I have several peshtemals which are brilliant for swimming outdoors and travelling. They cover a lot of body so you can wrap them around yourself, you can lie on them on the ground, use them as a top sheet, wrap them easily around wet hair. And they pack small and dry quickly.
posted by penguin pie at 3:11 PM on July 12, 2022

I have bath sheets and hand towels from Bazaar Anatolia that I'd meant to live in the camping supplies but I bring them in to wash after camping and they end up on the regular rotation. I wash them (cold like everything else) and dry them (low heat like everything else) and they've had no complaint after a couple of years.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:36 PM on July 12, 2022

I got mine from Qui Quattro and I absolutely love it! I call it my Douglas Adams towel, because it truly does all the things.

Super absorbent and air dries really fast, beautiful, and has in fact gotten softer with every wash (I was skeptical).
posted by MuChao at 3:57 PM on July 12, 2022

I'm going to go against the grain here -- I have peshtemal towels I use for the pool or the beach, for convenient beach coverup skirts or a shawl if it gets chilly, but I would never have them in my bathroom. It's probably a comfort or texture thing to me (I am a bit odd about fabric textures touching my skin), personally, but my sister-in-law only has turkish towels in her bathrooms and I really hate using them after a shower. My son and dad also hate them for after showers. Fine for the pool or beach, but never in the bathroom. We're likely the odd ones out on this one, though.
posted by erst at 4:28 PM on July 12, 2022

I too switched years ago; I too never looked back. I've had some for years and they're going strong. They absorb better than most fluffy towels I've used and dry better, too. It's definitely a vibe switch if you're used to the fluff, but my west-coast heart is very happy wrapped in something light. Highest possible recommendation.

Most of mine started a bit stiff and rough but softened up pretty quickly. One never quite got there, so there are definitely different grades and styles to consider. I don't have any particular advice on that, however, having been very satisfied with the random ones I picked up over the years.
posted by wemayfreeze at 4:32 PM on July 12, 2022

I love them, other family members prefer terrycloth so I get them all to myself. You do have to go from rubbing dry to more of a patting dry approach, but they are great for all the reasons mentioned.
posted by Ausamor at 4:39 PM on July 12, 2022

I love them for all the reasons you’re fed up with terry lots and all the benefits previously listed.

For what it’s worth I have one that was purchased at a hammam in Istanbul and then others that were purchased a various times from Amazon and the one from Turkey is coarser, smaller, and much better for that STRONG exfoliation you get from the women at the bath scrubbing you down. I prefer the “inauthentic” ones, but something to be aware of.

I’ve always put all of them through the dryer
posted by raccoon409 at 6:58 PM on July 12, 2022

I switched a few years ago and love them. They are not fluffy/cozy like regular bath towels but I don't find them particularly rough and love how quickly they dry with no funky smell. I also regularly use the dryer with absolutely no ill effects but you could dry them outside as well, it wouldn't take long.
posted by Preserver at 11:19 AM on July 13, 2022