amanda collier—March 22, 2015
I recently purchased a half-dozen bamboo/cotton terry bath towels that had stellar reviews -- specifically, saying "takes way less time to dry!" and "lint much less than others!" LIES. ALL LIES. These reviewers were either abject morons, or they just inexplicably upgraded from dollar-store towels to $30-each towels. Over a dozen wash/dry cycles in, I hate these things so much I seriously considered dumping them in the yard and setting them on fire. Why must my bathroom constantly be covered in teal fuzz? Why must my PERSON be covered with teal fuzz? Why must I pick teal fuzz out of my makeup every day? So I ordered one of these guys. PESHTEMALS FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER. They weigh nothing. They're easy to handle. They're VERY absorbent (more so than terry, IMO). They dry in a flash. The texture is nice -- they're about the weight of flour-sack type dish towels, but in a much much softer and more supple weave. They look nice. And they don't make a mountain of lint, or leave a skim-coat of fuzz all over wet skin. I just ordered six more. I'm going to make friends spend the night with me and take a shower, just so I can get them to use one of these towels. Oh my god, THESE TOWELS. UPDATE : The set of six of these I ordered? We (bf and I) have been using them as our only bath towels for SIX YEARS now, and they're still pretty much like new. Occasionally one of the little fringe things will come unbraided, and I just twist it back up and re-knot it. No fading that I can see. No wear. No detectable change in thickness, softness, or weave. The whole set makes up less than half a load in the washer and dryer instead of a full load and then some, like regular terry towels, despite the fact that they're much longer and wider ... and I've never once had to put them back in for extra dryer time. A++++. Read more
Mashehu—January 25, 2014
I needed a new towel and was considering getting yet another large, fluffy towel.....but looked on Amazon for Turkish Spa Towels (I was replacing a Turkish Spa Towel--the fluffy type--that I had bought at Costco). First, let me say that I had bought a couple of towels at both Costco and at Bed Bath and Beyond and all they seemed to do was wipe water from one part of my body to another. They just weren't that absorbent. Thus, I reluctantly decided to get these and figured I could always use it as a dog blanket if it was a failure. Okay, this is an amazing, highly absorbent towel. It is thin and not fluffy and you might need to reprogram yourself to understand that fluffy doesn't mean absorbent. These towels really dry you. After my first towel, I bought several more, including hand towels. I gave one to my mother who looked at me strangely and said that it was really not for her. I told her to keep an open mind and try it and a few days later she asked me to buy her some more as she felt these were the best towels ever. I did a bit of research into the history of towels and found out that towels originate from Turkey, that the peshtemal is the original type of towel (and still used there in Turkish baths) and that terry towels came into existence for mass production purposes. I love these towels and have owned them for a while now and they do get softer as they get washed more. They drive so quickly, too and are great for travelling. I wash mine in cold water in the washing machine and then let them air dry. They are woven well and seem very durable. Highly, highly recommended. Yes, they are a bit out of the ordinary and people who visit now ask why I have a cloth as a hand towel in my bathroom and I explain. Everyone is so impressed and they are such beautiful towels....I have several in many colors.... One last thing, the peshtemal towels on Amazon are about half the price of other places on the internet. Read more
Loving to Read—May 31, 2014
What I love most is that they can fold up to a very small size. I can fold, then roll 5 of them up and still have a ton of room left in my bag for other things. They are perfect for summer when you need something for when you need either to dry the kids after they get wet in the pool, after a rain, or playing in a fountain, and are thin enough they don't burn up from wrapping it around them while they dry. The girls wrap them around their bathing suits like a wrap-around skirt until they are dry. They dry so quickly because they are so thin that you can then fold and roll them back up and put them away for next time. For the baby, they have multiple uses, it is a perfect wrap or swaddle in the summer or anytime, leaving extra material for nursing. Easily used as nursing cover-ups when breastfeeding.they are perfect to lie her on to change her so she doesn't stick to a changing pad, and sometimes don't trust the sanitation of changing areas, it's easily washed when we return home. As manufacturer states, it becomes more absorbent as you wash it. When you first open the package and use it the first time it is not as absorbent as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th time. We have to prep cotton cloth diapers, and I suggest if you want these at maximum absorbency, to do the same, just wash them with your next few loads of towels, washing and drying them, and they will reach maximum absorbency soon enough. We use them from the start, but others may want to prep them. I bought several colors, in each of the kids birthstones, so they know whose towel is whose, I then know who left their towel in the (car, floor, etc.) and it cuts down on fighting over them. I did have to be careful and watch to be sure the seller is cacala, the maker, I bought one from another maker and it wasn't as good of quality and the colors weren't as vibrant, nor as soft. Not all Turkish towels are the same in quality. Cacala is the best I have found. I think I will start giving them as baby shower and other gifts as they are so versatile in their use.. Read more
