The mom’s must-have with Anina from Pretty Social
Our Turkish towels are loved by people from all walks of life – including the cool mom squad. Because what is more versatile than having a beautiful 100% Cotton Turkish Towel in your nursery or baby bag? It’s that lifesaver swaddle blanket / towel / picnic rug / change mat / impromptu hold-on / and...and..and what savvy moms rightly call their ‘ride-or-die’ accessory!
This month, we chat to the go-getter mom-of-two and entrepreneur, Anina Heyns of social media marketing agency, Pretty Social. Anina welcomed us into her home to share moments with her gorgeous daughter, Lily, and to chat about why she loves working – and living – with The Cotton Company.
Since I discovered Turkish towels three years ago, I just adore them
I was fortunate to be introduced to The Cotton Company a few years ago when Madeleine became one of my very first clients. From day one, I fell in love with her beautiful products – lovingly hand-made by artisans in Turkey. Each product tells such a story of craftsmanship and quality, so these towels very quickly became a staple of the Heyns family.
When I had Lily 18 months ago, I would go everywhere with a pretty pink towel in my baby bag. The blush pink Kelim was a big hit back in the day. This very quickly doubled up as a breastfeeding cover-up, something to pull over the pram when the sun was in her eyes, and to swaddle her for nap times. Especially in summer, the 100% cotton is just wonderful for our hot climate. It’s cool, soft and just lovely on a little one’s skin.
With bath time, Turkish towels are real lifesavers
I always use two towels at bathtime with my little girl (now 18 months) – one to lie on and one to wrap and dry her from bathroom to PJ time. Because they’re so lightweight and soft, it makes it so easy to handle a wriggly baby or busy toddler. The main reason I love them for bathtime – besides looking stunning on the rail – is because they dry so quickly and don't take up a lot of space – they’ll save you so much time and electricity on laundry.
Style statements around the home
How many things do you have in your home that is both beautiful and practical? With two busy girls around – and working from home – I don’t like clutter so everything around me needs to have a purpose and look fabulous. I keep a few towels hanging by the front door to use as a scarf when I go out. Kirmizi is a current favorite I can wrap around my whole body when it’s cold.
When having friends over, I like to use a towel as a tablecloth (I love stripes for that nautical / French vibe) or use a hand towel as an insert in my bread basket. I also use them as throws over a couch – ready for a night of Netflix and chill, or catching up with my favourite podcasts. It’s cool when you’re warm and cosy when there’s a chill in the air. That’s the great thing about cotton.
My go-to – for every gift and every occasion
Cotton Company towels are no-brainer gifts for a family and friend. Perfect for baby showers, kitchen teas or birthdays – I just know it will be the gift with the most oohs and aahs! You can never have too many of these babies so you just can’t go wrong. When I take photos of the kids for milestones or birthdays, these towels style just beautifully. It’s no wonder it’s a favourite with stylists and photographers – just check out their Insta and you’ll see what I mean.
Giving me great beach mom cred
Living near the ocean, there is pressure, you know, to beach fabulous at all times! With Cotton Co towels in my life, I always feel like we’re inside a photo shoot. We are beach bums and they make life so much easier. Firstly, sand is a pain – it gets everywhere. Luckily a turkish towel dries super quickly – none of that heavy gross sand filled terry towel business. It’s just everything at the beach (especially a windy one, which is basically Cape Town 8 days a week).
The weather is always changing in Cape Town, so you’ll never know when you’ll get cold on the beach. When my 8-year-old Alexis has an impromptu tea party, she always demands a pretty towel for her picnic blanket. At the moment, she’s obsessed with the new Marigold-coloured waffle weave towel.
We love going for long walks or to take the kids to play for a few hours in the sand and waves. I wear it as a cover-up over a swimsuit (Süd is my favourite) or as a wind cover when I carry Lily in the baby carrier. When I take her to her weekly swimming lessons, I always take two towels with me. And why not? They don’t take up a lot of space in the bag. This is so important to me as I always have my hands full with everything I have to take with me.
Finally, our adventure ally
We love going away for a weekend, whether it’s to a beach house or camping. If you’ve ever gone camping with kids you’ll know how many million little things you have to think of and carry with you. Fear not – at a push, you can tie a towel in a couple of knots, and you can actually use it to haul stuff around.
I love how the towels all have different textures fit for a specific purpose. The thicker waffle weave is the ultimate post-bath luxury, while the more structured feeling of a striped Elim works well as a tablecloth. Something like a Twilight with its fun star print and reversible colours stand out as a scarf for me.
Long story short, I love all these towels by name! And can’t imagine life without them.
To see more of Anina’s favourites and daily adventures, follow her on Instagram or visit www.prettysocial.co.za to find how she can help propel your brand in social media and beyond.
Invite versatility and style into your life by shopping our latest towel collection – available in a range of patterns and colours.
Photography by Alex + Chris Photography