Genovega Turkish beach towels

What are Turkish towels?

Turkish towels, also called peshtemal, are flat-woven rather than looped like terry. That makes them thinner and lighter, quicker to dry and much smaller when folded. They absorb well once wet and get softer with every wash, which is why travellers, beach-goers and people with small bathrooms love them.

Genovega Turkish beach towels are woven from cotton or cotton-polyester blends for softness and durability, in oversized 72 by 36 and 74 by 38 inch sizes that cover a full sun lounger.

Why sand shakes off

Terry loops trap grains of sand; a tight flat weave does not. Once a Turkish towel is dry, a single shake clears most sand, so less of the beach comes home in the car. Wet sand clings to any towel, so let it dry in the sun for a few minutes before shaking.

Sets, care and other uses

Families usually choose a four- or six-pack so everyone has a colour. Wash new towels two or three times before the first beach trip, skip fabric softener and line dry when you can. Off the beach, they work as sarongs, shawls, picnic throws, gym towels and light summer blankets.

Peshtemal, fouta and the Turkish towel tradition

In Turkey the flat-woven towel is a traditional bathhouse textile, the peshtemal; in North Africa and France a similar cloth is called a fouta. The design has stayed the same for centuries because it works: a light material with a smooth texture that wraps around the body, dries in the sun and folds into a corner of a bag. Our collection keeps that idea and adds the bright colors, stripes and prints that look good on the sand.

Because they are so lightweight, Turkish towels are the most versatile thing in a beach bag. They cover a pool lounger, double as a bath towel at home, make a picnic mat on dry grass and keep the sun off your shoulders around the deck in the afternoon. Keep one in the car and one by the door all summer.

Turkish towel or terry beach towel?

A thick terry beach towel feels plush when dry but turns heavy and slow once wet, and it carries sand home in its loops. A Turkish beach towel trades a little of that fluff for speed: it soaks up water from your skin, dries quickly between swims and shakes clean. For daily trips to the beach or the pool, that performance usually wins; if you prefer a fluffier feel, the terry and microfiber sets on our beach towel page are the better pick.