Fouta

Red, black, and white striped textile

This hand-woven, red and white striped textile called a fouta (or mendil) is still traditionally worn by indigenous Jbala women of the Rif Mountains surrounding Chefchaouen and the Tangier region in northern Morocco. As part of rural mountain attire, women wear the textile wrapped around the lower body like an apron skirt wrap.  It is lightweight, versatile and sand-repellent.

While this flat-woven cloth, with hand-tied fringes, still endures as a skirt wrap for North African Jbala women or used as a towel in traditional bathhouses (hammams), new uses have evolved. Its versatility has now been adapted to use as summer sarongs, light blankets, or home decor throws, making them a stylish essential for both the beach and the bathroom.