Biodegradable textiles that last decades, stay out of landfills longer, and keep the planet happy. Buy handmade organic and support the earth!!
Although Jennifer's Hamam has only been in business for 14 years, the history of Turkish hand-woven towels predates us by centuries. Some of our current Turkish clients tell us that they have towels 50, 60 and even 70 years old!! One still has hand-woven towels that do not need replacing after 72 years of use. Your purchases form Jennifer's Hamam will afford you products that will endure the test of time. No machine made item will ever provide you with the quality, durability, and variety that each of our products embody. Currently, we are the only company in Turkey that works with weavers and creates all of our beautiful textiles on old-style shuttled looms. Anything else found in the Turkish market is small or large factory production.
COTTON:
Jennifer herself, purchases all cotton threads to ensure that only 100% GOTS certified organic Turkish cotton it used by her weavers. Organic cotton has many benefits over non-organic cotton; it's more absorbent, releases the moisture quicker, has its own innate ability to deal with bacteria, will not go hard or smell musty over time, is easier to clean, healthier for your skin, uses less water in the growing process and does not contaminate the soil or those that still hand-pick it in Turkey. Pieces will last 4-5 times longer than those made with non-organic threads and will be more enjoyable to use during their extended life.
LINEN:
Woven into the fabric of human history for millennia, linen is valued for antibacterial and stain resistant attributes, natural durability and lustre. Harvested from flax plants in Turkey, it requires less than half the water of non-organic cotton. Mother Nature's wicking fibre, it is even more absorbent, sheds moisture quicker and lasts twice as long than even organic cotton. Unfortunately, due to its unevenness and the slub (little hairs) along the thread, industry has all but abandoned the fibre and the demand for linen has fallen globally. Even on our old-style shuttled looms, a weaver must slow down approximately 50%, effectively doubling the time it takes to make a piece in comparison with cotton.
SILK:
Jennifer has the privilege of working with the last family who cultivate their own silk worms from caterpillar to cocoon. They reel silk thread in low temperature water (acid-free), which means threads obtain a tensile strength equal to steel wire for the highest-quality thread possible. In one 12-hour day, their method of slow reeling can yield a maximum of just three kilograms of thread, enough for approximately 25 scarves. Natural fruits, vegetables, tree bark and roots are collected from their own garden and surrounding mountains to create the dyes used on the threads and final hand-woven products.
Ottoman weavers invented the "looping technique" which remains unique to Turkey. We are the only company in the world that continues to weave using this time-honoured method. Factory machines try to copy the appearance of our products, but they are incapable of replicating the structure of pieces made on old-style-shuttled looms. Jennifer's Hamam's are, quite simply, the finest on the market.
We have thick-looped towels available in cotton, linen, and cotton/linen options. Whether you are choosing cotton and/or linen, you'll have a quality that will outlast anything else on the planet.
We offer the best quality pestamel available in Turkey in an amazing array of designs and colours that will spoil you for choice. Available in cotton, linen and silk.
Use your pestamel for anything including, a towel, table cloth, curtain, throw, blanket, scarf, etc. They can also be cut into robes, tunics, pillow cases or anything else you can dream.
The same famous looping technique used in our towels is found in these scrumptious blankets. Wonderful for the couch or the bed; to sleep on, under or just wrap up in comfort. Whether you choose cotton or linen, the breathability of the fibres makes these beauties usable all year round.
Peskir are the hair towels in the hamam (the Turkish Bath), but they are also wonderful as dish towels or hand towels, and a great size as a towel or scarf for little people. We have a great selection in cotton and some linen choices as well.
We have our own tailors on hand that make all of our quality robes from our thick, looped towels or flat-woven pestamel. If you don't like our designs and/or sizes, we can make you a custom robe, made to fit, from your favourite design and colour. Once we have the required measurements, your custom robe can be completed in no more than 48 hours and in some cases even in less than a day.
How to measure for a custom robe.
Many wonderful colours and designs in the perfect size for wrapping up on the couch or having a nap. They've been known to be dragged out the beach as well as a wonderful family beach blanket. No home is complete without at least one of these lovely throws! Available in cotton.
These fantasic giants are the perfect compliment to the queen or king size bed. They will offer enough hang on all sides of the bed to hang or tuck in on all depths of mattresses. In summer, a light, breathable coverup or in the winter on top of the duvet for extra warmth, they provide more than enough coverage for two. Great designs and colours available in cotton.
Can one ever have enough scarves?
Available in cotton, linen, wool, and silk.
Kese are a key point of experience when visiting the hamam (Turkish Bath) and you should always bring your own for hygienic reasons. Once you've finished your Turkish bath experience, be sure to take your kese back home with you. You only need to rinse with hot water and hang to dry. At home, create your own hamam experience; 5-10 minutes under the hot shower or in a bath will ready your body for exfoliation. Fantastic for the health of the skin; sluffs dead cells off to encourage healthy regrowth of dermis, and improves circulation and elasticity of the skin. There is evidence that it can also assists in keeping away the dreaded cellulite. Available in tree bark, goat's hair & silk, and goat's hair.
We offer duvets, sheets and pillow cases in white for queen and king size beds. With only one loom available to make the material for these luxurious bedlinen, the demand is high and often there is a paid waiting list. Be sure to get your order in quickly to improve your next night's sleep. Available in cotton or linen.
The Ottomans used to carry all their hamam (Turkish Bath) necessities in a large copper box, including such items as pestamel, kese, soap and hamam shoes. The bottom of the boxes always had holes so that water could drain. Although this tradition is long gone, we have our copper artisans in the South East of Turkey make miniature versions of these boxes that you can use for decoration or storage of items in any room of the house.
We offer pure olive oil in many wonderful scents. From various villages we also carry laurel oil soap, which is wonderful for eczema, psoriasis and extra dry skin; and our exclusive ash water soap for those with extra sensitive skin. Unfortunately, our soaps can no longer be shipped, but when you visit us in person, you can carry them back with you in your luggage.
