Ann Huff and Meg Harrington, owners of the eponymous Buckhead art gallery and home furnishings store, discovered foutas (pronounced foo-ta) in a French market. Intrigued by the rainbow of colors, Ann bought some of the large, fringed linens to use as towels by her pool. She soon discovered that the more she used them, the softer they became. Since then, foutas have become a customer favorite at Huff Harrington Home ($42).
Created as desert wraps in countries around the Mediterranean Sea, foutas are all cotton and machine washable. Their generous size (about 40 by 71 inches) and light texture make them appropriate for myriad uses. They can be used as wraps, tablecloths, runners, sarongs, bed coverings, or throws. They also look great monogrammed, Meg notes.
- With wear, foutas feel soft as cashmere.
- Though easy to store or stash in a tote, these towels are sized generously enough for the beach.
- Use one to keep off the chill in an airplane.
- The Turkish variant is sometimes called a peshtemal and has been handwoven in Turkey’s eastern Black Sea and Aegean regions for centuries.
- Foutas can be laundered with other towels, though Ann often removes hers from the dryer while still damp to flatten the corners.
