In recent years the fouta has appeared in Europe and has become very trendy, especially in the summer months. Why are more and more people attracted to the fouta? Probably because it has beautiful colours and patterns, it’s different, flexible, light and usually larger than a beach towel.
So what is a Fouta?
A fouta is a light cotton towel, about 100 x 200 cm in size and is originally from Tunisia where it has been an integral part of the heritage for over 3,000 years! It has also been used in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean countries like Syria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.
In the old days, Tunisian women would wear a fouta on their heads and there was even a special fouta reserved for the bride on her wedding day.
Above all, the fouta is used in hammams because it absorbs moisture very well and is much lighter than the usual towel.
Nowadays, there are several kinds of foutas, largely because of their different weavings.
• the flat woven fouta: this is the classic fouta: fluid, light and flexible
• the honeycomb fouta: its absorption capacity is greater than the one in flat weaving and softer
• the terry-lined fouta: an excellent compromise between the beach towel and the pareo
• the lurex fouta: woven with a silver or golden thread
Although you will see lots of foutas used as beach towels or as a sarong it is also a great accessory for that picnic or relaxing in the park. Also there is no need to worry about wear and tear because the more you wash your fouta the more it will be soft and fluffy. Check our selection of foutas under ‘Accessories’ and we have more colours coming in next week.
