Special Announcement!

So, you may (or may not!) have been wondering what I have been so busy with that has been keeping me away from blogging as much and keeping up with all my usual things.  Well here is the big reveal!

I have been working with my husband and two friends of mine here and created Hamamist!!  (You can read all about what it is below)  We are so excited about it!   So I have been busy - designing towels, taking photos, making booklets, designing packaging etc etc!  And I have been making the website...I'm no expert at making websites so it has been taking a while (!)...and will take more time as I do things like change the front page and add more information about Pestemals and more images.  But it has launched!  So please go over and have a look!  Let me know what you think!

So far, it has been going better than I could even have imagined...and I would definitely appreciate your support so much in making it a success!  Please tell your friends if you have the chance!  :)

Maybe you have already heard of Hamam Towels?  Here they are called Peshtemals and are flat woven towels that we use all the time - in the bathroom, at the pool, at the beach - we love them!

This is a little that I wrote for our 'About' section on the website:

Hamamist is all about creating beautiful towels of the highest quality, using natural fibres and hand looming. An everyday luxury.

Why are these towels so special?

Hamam Towels (peshtemal in Turkish) are flat woven towels that:
*are light weight, compact and fast drying

*absorb water as quickly as standard towels

*are natural and eco friendly as they take up less space in your washing machine

*easily fit in your beach bag or travel bag

*look great worn ‘sarong style’ poolside

*are perfect for using at the spa or gym

*make a unique and beautiful gift

Hamamist peshtemals are hand loomed in the same villages that they have been made in for centuries. This means that every item is slightly different and unique.

A bit of History...

The peshtemal was,and still is, the traditional attire worn at the Hamam or Turkish Bath. The history of hamams and peshtemals is a rich one. Hamams were influenced by the Roman ‘thermae’ and Byzantine baths and reached their peak during the reign of the Ottoman Empire.

The ritual at the hamam involves bathers relaxing in a very warm room before splashing themselves with cool water. After performing a full body wash and receiving a massage, bathers finally retire to the cooling-room for a period of relaxation.

Today peshtemals are widely used on the Mediterranean beaches of Turkey and also poolside, in bathrooms and at spas.

It feels so good to finally have launched the website and to be sharing it with you!  I hope you like it!