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Manufacturing in Portugal and the expertise of the country’s textile industry are two of the key arguments being used by US brand Coti to win over consumers in international markets. Founded by Cindy Clausen and dedicated exclusively to The Hair Towel, Coti has been highlighting the product’s quality and durability, making “Made in Portugal” a central part of its identity. In an article published on its website this month, the founder explains that, before looking for a manufacturer, she asked a different question: “Where are the best textiles made?” The answer led her to Portugal. “That’s how I found Portugal. A region with a long tradition of producing cotton and terry fabrics,” she says.
Coti is currently a single-product brand, but developing its towel quickly showed Clausen the value of Portuguese textile expertise. Although the concept may seem simple at first glance, it took just two rounds of development to achieve the desired result. “I realised I was working with people who have an in-depth understanding of towel manufacturing. They identified aspects before production that otherwise could easily have gone unnoticed,” she acknowledges. “That is what sets a place that truly understands textiles apart from others.”
Made from knitted terry, The Hair Towel combines 80% cotton, 17% polyester and 3% elastane, with a weight of 385 g/m². The brand considers this composition to offer the ideal balance between durability, comfort and performance. The knitted construction preserves the fabric loops, while the addition of elastane provides the stretch needed to wrap the hair securely and keep the towel in place during use.
The choice of higher-quality materials and processes is also reflected in the brand’s positioning. “There are differences in the fabric, the construction and the place of manufacture. Cotton knitted terry is more expensive to produce than low-weight synthetic microfibre,” explains the founder, adding that “with simple products such as a towel, those differences become apparent over time”. The use of knitted terry also makes the towel less prone to snagging, pilling or showing signs of premature wear.
Founded last year by Cindy Clausen, Coti was born from a simple idea: to transform one of the few moments of quiet in a woman’s day into a small self-care ritual. The founder was looking for a high-quality product that could accompany that moment and set out to find the right balance between different technical requirements. The challenge was to create a towel light enough not to be pulled down by gravity, with a texture capable of staying securely on the head, a functional fastening system and high absorbency, distributing water throughout the fabric rather than concentrating it close to the scalp.
The result is a towel designed to avoid the sensation of weight and cold as the hair dries, combining functionality and comfort with the expertise of Portugal’s textile industry.