Cucina Vintage Towel Collection

Cucina is 100% cotton, woven in a windowpane and waffle-weave construction that gives it a dimensional, vintage hand-feel. No enzymes or softeners are used in the finishing process; the absorbency comes from the weave structure itself, not chemical treatment. The cotton is garment-dyed using reactive dyes, so each piece has a lived-in character that deepens with use.

Cucina comes in five sizes: Tea (11" x 13") for table use, Kitchen (23" x 23") for hand-drying and napkins, Pantry (28" x 48") for drying dishes or wrapping vegetables, Table (48" x 50") as a tablecloth, and Picnic (70" x 106") as a blanket or oversized wrap. Each size is named for its primary function, though the Picnic size works equally well as a beach blanket or a post-bath wrap.

Separate light and dark colors before washing, then use a lukewarm cycle with a gentle detergent and a cool rinse. Tumble dry on low heat, or line dry for best results. Do not use bleach or any products containing chlorine, alpha hydroxy acids, or benzoyl peroxide; the reactive dyes used in garment-dyeing are not resistant to whitening agents, and exposure will damage the color. You can read more about the garment-dyeing process here.

The hand-feel in Cucina comes entirely from the weave construction and the wash process, not from enzymes or chemical softeners. MATTEO's weaving mill spent considerable time perfecting the balance between the windowpane pattern and the waffle structure so the fabric absorbs well while feeling broken-in from the first use. This approach keeps the cotton structurally intact and means the towel gets softer and more absorbent over time rather than losing performance after washing.

The current Cucina collection includes White, Salt, Bay, and Coal as the core four colors, with additional shades including Alpine, Bark, Fig, Greige, Iris, Mica, Moon, and Night available in final quantities. Because Cucina is garment-dyed, MATTEO allows for a shade variation of +/- 10% between dye lots, which means two pieces purchased in different batches may read as slightly different tones. This variation is inherent to the garment-dyeing process and part of what gives each piece its character.

Yes. The Table size is 48" x 50" and was specifically designed as a tablecloth, though it also works well at the beach. The windowpane and waffle-weave construction gives it enough visual structure to read as a proper table covering, while the 100% cotton fabric is absorbent enough to handle spills. The Picnic size at 70" x 106" is the larger option if you need coverage for a longer table or want a blanket-weight piece for outdoor use.

Cucina is well-suited for gifting because the five-size range and multi-color options make it easy to put together a set matched to how someone actually uses their kitchen. The Tea and Kitchen sizes work as a set for everyday hand and table use; the Pantry and Table sizes suit someone who cooks and entertains. MATTEO designs Cucina for daily use, so it holds up and improves over time rather than feeling like a decorative-only piece.

Terry cloth relies on looped pile construction for absorbency, which can flatten and lose efficiency after repeated washing. Cucina's waffle-weave structure creates a grid of textured pockets across the surface, absorbing liquid through the weave geometry rather than surface pile. Because no softeners or enzymes are used in finishing, the absorbency is structural and durable. The windowpane design also makes Cucina more visually considered than a utility terry towel, so it works on a table or at the beach without looking out of place.