How does weaving actually work? Warp threads, weft threads, the shuttle, the loom, five steps explained simply and honestly. Not from a textbook. From a weaving house in Turkey that still does it by hand every day.
Not all weaving is the same. Learn how warp and weft threads build fabric, why handwoven textiles outlast machine-made by decades, and what most people never know about the cloth in their homes. From the weavers still doing it in Turkey.
Turkish hand weaving nearly disappeared entirely. Here is the full story from Ottoman palace workshops to the handful of looms still running today.
Sustainability labels are everywhere. Longevity is not. The most honest measure of whether something is truly sustainable is how long it lasts. An argument for buying less, choosing better, and making it count.
Before a single thread touches the loom, the pattern is already decided. Learn how the warp roll determines everything about a handwoven Turkish textile, and why this first step separates true hand weaving from anything made by machine in Turkey or anywhere else.
Most people use the words knitting, tufting, knotting, and weaving interchangeably. They are not the same. Learn what actually separates these four ancient crafts, and why choosing the right one for your home matters more than you might think.
Chosen by Cornucopia Magazine for its exclusive ‘Good Finds’ section.
Our very first press feature; a 2009 travel piece by Pat Yale
This article from Handwoven Magazine traces the history of Turkish towels, from the earliest flat-woven pestamel to the invention of the thick-looped towel in the Ottoman Empire and features Jennifer’s Hamam as a central force in keeping the traditional weaving method alive today.
The new jennifershamam.com is live, redesigned to bring you closer to the craft, the weavers, and the heart behind every thread. Here’s why it matters.
Jennifer’s Hamam has moved, and Jennifer’s Collection is now open. Discover what’s new and what’s still exactly as it should be.
Thread quality determines everything, how long a textile lasts, how it feels against your skin, and whether it harms or heals. Learn why organic Turkish cotton and linen behave so differently from synthetic fibres, and why it matters more than any sustainability label.
Most towels sold as 'Turkish' today aren't hand-woven at all. Learn how to tell the difference and why it matters for your home, your health, and a dying craft.
For generations, weaving passed from mother to daughter in Turkey. Then it nearly disappeared entirely. This is the story of what was almost lost, and the people keeping it alive today.
Between 2021 and 2023, Jennifer’s Hamam helped relocate the last true thick-looped Turkish towel weavers across the country, a bold move born from pandemic chaos, internal collapse, and sheer determination to protect an endangered craft.
Real entrepreneurs don’t follow the rulebook. They leap, they fail, they adapt, and they build something that matters. Here’s why chasing real quality, not trends, is still the best investment around.
Non-organic cotton and synthetic textiles cause more harm than most people realize, to health, to soil, to water. What your textile choices actually cost, from Jennifer's Hamam in Turkey.
For years, Jennifer searched for the perfect place to build her dream. In 2022, she chose something completely unexpected and exactly right.
In August 2020, on our 11th anniversary, I looked back on a year that nearly stopped us and the clients who made sure it didn’t.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary in 2019, we invited clients to share their favourite Jennifer’s Hamam photos. The response was overwhelming and the winning image received a 10-piece gift set as a thank-you.
Our first 18 months brought challenges, learning, and beautiful growth. Here’s what we discovered and where we’re going next.
Article by Eva Zsuzsa Trembacz exploring Jennifer’s Hamam and the women preserving Türkiye’s weaving traditions.
After six months of renovations, our new three-floor showroom is finally ready and we can’t wait to welcome you. Doors open August 1st, 2014.
A Turkish hamam is not a spa. It is not a sauna. It is something older and more deliberate, a ritual of heat, water, and restoration that has been practiced in Istanbul for centuries. Here is what it actually involves and why it still matters.
What is weaving, really? Learn how warp and weft become fabric on a traditional loom, why the craft nearly vanished, and what makes handwoven cloth unlike anything machine-made. From Turkey, where it still happens.
Jen Rose Smith recommends Jennifer’s Hamam as part of her eco-conscious, luxury travel guide to Istanbul.
Dawn Payne’s Empowerment Podcast dives deep with Jennifer on purpose, perseverance, and revitalizing lost traditions.
Towels have not always existed. Before the thick-looped towel was invented in the Ottoman Empire, people dried themselves with something else entirely. This is the real history of the towel, from ancient Rome to the Turkish hamam to your bathroom today.
Jennifer Gaudet joins Margo Steinhaus to talk about weaving, heritage, and how craftsmanship keeps culture alive.
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So many exciting milestones marked 2012, from new weavers to new locations. Here’s what made it a year to remember.
Kimberly McCauley takes readers inside Türkiye’s bathing culture and the ancient rituals of the Turkish hamam.
PassengEarth explores the philosophy of slow fashion through the lens of Jennifer’s Hamam and Turkey’s rich textile culture.
Featured in the Louis Vuitton Istanbul City Guide: What to take home (and why Jennifer's towels made the list).
Melody Meyer's exploration of how Jennifer's Hamam is preserving the dying art of Turkish towel weaving.
Part 2 dives deeper into weaving techniques and how silk becomes magic in artisan hands.
A reflection on heritage, purpose, and why this project means so much.
Part 1 of our silk series - exploring the origins, farmers, and ethics behind the thread.
Our third location opens in the heart of Sultanahmet with even more handmade beauty to discover.
A press article exploring why Jennifer's towels are widely considered the best in Turkey.
A major milestone for Jennifer's Hamam. New looms, more towels, and a third shop opens its doors.
Wanderlust & Lipstick's travel feature on the best hamam traditions and where to find the real deal.
A feature by Jessica Levco on Jennifer's Hamam in the Edmonton Journal, highlighting tradition, sustainability, and revival.
Kat Herriman from CoolHunting dives into the story and soul behind Jennifer's handcrafted towels.
Rona Berg of Organic Spa explores Jennifer's Hamam and the sustainable, spiritual side of Turkish textiles.
An article from INCA on how Jennifer is preserving culture through craftsmanship.
An insightful feature sharing the early story of Jennifer’s Hamam and the artisans behind the revival.
An inspiring interview with Jennifer about tradition, reinvention, and artisan excellence.
Artist Tessa MacGregor shares how Jennifer's textiles transformed her Scottish flat into a cozy sanctuary.
A look at the incredible people keeping this endangered craft alive; the weavers of Jennifer's Hamam.
In a field now dominated by men, Aunt Ayşe stands out as one of the few women still at the loom.
A legendary weaver from Jennifer's past helps spark a weaving revival. One that would shape the entire project.
This Financial Times feature by Nick Foster follows Jennifer Gaudet’s journey from Canada to the heart of reviving Turkish textile traditions through Jennifer’s Hamam.
Interested in Writing About Us?
We’ve been featured in publications around the world, but the story of Jennifer’s Hamam is still unfolding.
If you’re a journalist, blogger, or content creator passionate about handmade craftsmanship, sustainability, or meaningful entrepreneurship, we’d love to hear from you.
Jennifer's Hamam
125 Arasta Bazaar
&
Ogul Sok. NO: 20
Jennifer's Collection
135 Arasta Bazaar
Sultanahmet, Fatih, Istanbul
Türkiye
January - February
8:30am - 8:00pm
Istanbul time
March-December
8:30am - 10:00pm
Istanbul time
