Handmade in North Africa
Foutas originated (and are still used) as hammam towels for men and women in Tunisia. They’re a cultural staple in many Mediterranean households—used as bath towels, covering door and window entrances, keeping the flies out in the summer, and blanketing couches, tables, and beds during family visits. Today, the Fouta can be spotted across Mediterranean beaches; after all, they fold up effortlessly, dry quickly, and are beautiful and useful seaside, poolside, and everywhere in between.
Traditionally hand-woven in Tunisia by skilled artisans, and falling victim to mass produced, low-quality trends, we wanted to find a way to offer handmade, quality Foutas that would keep the rich weaving history of our founders' home country alive.
Each fouta starts with natural fiber deadstock yarn that’s rhythmically handwoven and hand finished. And the rhythm is real. A single weaver stands behind the large manual wooden loom, tapping the hand and foot works in a sequence specific to the Fouta’s desired pattern. The crossing over of hands and tapping of feet combined with the clicking and whirring of the loom in action is wonderfully and unexpectedly musical.
Every handmade FH Fouta comes together in an ebb and flow of movement and percussion as the weaver and loom lift and sway in this beautiful, intimate process. It’s a skill that some artisans at our partner atelier "Nsija" have been honing for over 30-years. The finishing touches are then carefully knotted, tasseled, and fringed into place on the Fouta’s borders by our talented team of finishers, generally women who do this from the comfort of their homes. This incredibly detailed craftsmanship combined with inspired quality and Brazilian design makes for a unique Fouta that’s meant to be as long-lasting as it is beautiful.
Our Foutas are handmade by talented artisans with decades of experience. They are the custodians of this ancestral know-how and have managed to preserve it from extinction. We’re committed to nurturing and maintaining this tradition while ensuring economic security and ethical labor practices in the "Nsija" atelier. The weavers and finishers are employed in full time positions and paid an above-market rate that exceeds the living wage.
