How to Spot a Real Turkish Towel
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A real Turkish towel is 100% Turkish cotton, generous in size (about 40 x 70 inches), soft from the first use, finished with thick hand-tied tassels, yarn-dyed so the color lasts, and made by named weavers in Turkey. Six simple checks will tell you whether a towel is the real thing, wherever you shop.
A real Turkish towel is one of those simple things that's hard to fake. It's thin but drinks up water. It dries before you're back from the beach. And it gets softer every time you wash it. The name has become popular, so plenty of towels now borrow it. Some are lovely. Many aren't. Here's how to tell the difference.
01 / Check the label.
Look for 100% cotton, and ideally Turkish cotton. Its long fibers make a towel that's strong, light and absorbent.
Be wary of "cotton blend", "microfiber" or no fiber content at all. Polyester looks fine in a photo, but it pushes water around instead of soaking it up.
Ours: 100% Turkish cotton, certified to OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 (certificate no. 309234), which means every thread has been tested for harmful substances.
02 / Check the size.
A true peshtemal is long enough to wrap around you. Ours measure about 40 x 70 inches.
Many bargain towels quietly shrink to save fabric. If a listing doesn't give the size, ask. If it fits under one arm, it isn't a beach towel. Our Turkish towel size guide has the details.
03 / Check the feel.
New cotton should feel smooth and soft, never stiff, scratchy or "cardboard". That crunch usually means the fabric was never washed after weaving, or that it contains synthetic fibers.
Ours: every towel is pre-washed before it reaches you, so it's soft from day one and won't shrink much in your machine. It only gets softer from there.
04 / Check the tassels.
Tassels are where shortcuts show first. Machine-twisted fringe is thin and stringy, and it unravels after a few washes.
A well-made towel has thick, hand-tied tassels that hold their shape. Give one a gentle tug. It should feel like rope, not string. Ours are tied by hand, one towel at a time, as you can see in how Turkish towels are made.
05 / Check the color.
Good color goes all the way through the yarn. Color printed or dyed onto finished cloth sits on the surface, bleeds in the wash and fades in the sun.
Ours: every towel is yarn-dyed, meaning the cotton is dyed before it's woven. That's why our stripes look so vibrant and stay that way, summer after summer.
06 / Check the story.
Ask who made it and where. "Turkish towel" describes a style, and many towels sold under that name are made far from Turkey.
Ours: woven in Buldan and Denizli, Turkey's historic weaving towns, by family-run mills we visit ourselves. Our partners are audited under amfori BSCI, the code of conduct for fair, safe working conditions. Read our story on the About page.
The quick check
| Check | Look for | Walk away if |
|---|---|---|
| Label | 100% cotton, ideally Turkish | Blend, microfiber or no fiber listed |
| Size | About 40 x 70 in | No size given, or much smaller |
| Feel | Smooth and soft | Stiff, scratchy or plasticky |
| Tassels | Thick and hand-tied | Thin, stringy or unraveling |
| Color | Yarn-dyed | Bleeds or fades fast |
| Origin | Named weavers in Turkey | No maker, no origin |
A real Turkish towel should last for years and get better as it goes. That's the whole point. Find yours in our Classic, Premium and Luxe collections, and keep it beautiful with our care guide.
FAQ
How can I tell if a Turkish towel is real?
Check six things: 100% cotton on the label, a generous size of about 40 x 70 inches, a soft feel rather than a stiff one, thick hand-tied tassels, yarn-dyed color, and a named maker in Turkey.
Why do some Turkish towels feel stiff or scratchy?
Usually because the fabric was never washed after weaving, or because it contains synthetic fibers. Riviera towels are 100% Turkish cotton and pre-washed, so they are soft from the first use.
Are Riviera Turkish towels OEKO-TEX certified?
Yes. Riviera towels are certified to OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100, certificate no. 309234, which means they have been tested for harmful substances.
Where are Riviera Turkish towels made?
They are woven in Buldan and Denizli, Turkey, by family-run mills audited under amfori BSCI for fair, safe working conditions. Every colorway is designed in Santa Barbara.
What is the difference between yarn-dyed and printed towels?
Yarn-dyed towels are woven from cotton that was dyed first, so the color runs all the way through and stays vibrant. Printed or surface-dyed towels tend to bleed and fade faster.
Want to feel the difference? Visit our shop at 17 W. Gutierrez St. in Santa Barbara or call 805-560-1571. We offer free shipping on orders over $95, and 5% of our net profits go to organizations that heal and protect the ocean we all love, with $76,439.30 donated so far.
