YŌLI embraces time-honouring daily bathing rituals. Making the most of the moment by giving your body and mind an opportunity to cleanse, pause and reset. We talked to the founder, Stef, to talk towels, skincare and the significance of seeking clarity and rejuvenation in even the smallest of moments
Read on to discover more about YŌLI HAUS, and to get your hands on one of these beautiful hand towels, on us
- What inspired you to start Yoli?
I have always had an obsession with plush, luxurious towels. One of the first university courses I did out of high school was Textiles Production to understand yarns, composition and lab processes. Throughout the years I purchased so many different towels across many brands and was never able to find a towel that met my expectations. I wanted to feel the luxury from the very first touch, I wanted elevated and curated unboxing and I wanted the quality to last. Failing the ability to find a towel that met this, I took it upon myself to create it. This came at a time that I really started to invest in my own self care at home, going through lockdowns, running a busy business (En Gold) and having two very young kids, I was craving daily mindful practice through bringing a day spa experience into my home but it had to fit into my busy schedule. This was at the forefront of my mind when creating YŌLI, I wanted a towel that inspired self care and intentional bathing rituals.
- How did you find your way into the homewares space?
Starting En Gold was very un-planned, it happened very organically whilst I was on Maternity Leave from my career in Interior Design, with our first born. I started selling vintage furniture on Instagram, it really began as a side hustle for my busy hands. I had no plans to create the business we ultimately are today. Starting YŌLI has been a very different journey, it was planned and prepared using all of the lessons I had learnt from En Gold. I took time to research, develop and create working with my amazing team.
- What makes Yoli so special?
I knew that I wasn’t the only person leading a busy life and feeling the fatigue of a challenging schedule. YŌLI is for those who crave self-care but struggle with finding the time. This could be working professionals and young parents alike. It’s for those who aspire to invest in their mindful practice but without excessive time to indulge. Bringing YŌLI into your daily bathing ritual- whether it’s a long bath at the end of the day or a short 10 minute shower, it’s intention is to introduce a little luxury into your day. Anyone who appreciates high quality and self care is a YŌLI customer.
All YŌLI towels are produced under the Clean Energy Program. Our Manufacturing partner has been selected for their pioneering efforts in sustainable practices. The entire harvestings and manufacturing process is done using solar energy and our cotton is OEKO-TEX certified organic, recognised by the Better Cotton Initiative.
During our development stage, I explained to my manufacturer, if money is not a consideration what is the most premium cotton available? He sent me a variety of samples which were in the top tier quality standard and we tested them doing a blind touch test. Unanimously, the same sample was selected and this happened to be the highest grade Turkish Cotton. After this we developed a recipe of this high quality organic cotton, married with the softest spun loop technique and the heaviest weight GSM (grams per square meter) to create the most luxurious cotton towel on the market. Turkish Cotton is soft, highly absorbent and quick drying, meaning it does not build up bacteria as some of the other fibres.
- What was the process of starting your own brand like?
My personal journey has been very intuitive and everyone’s process of starting a brand looks different. I had the concept of creating a luxury towel brand years ago but I didn’t know what this brand would look like. Without pressure or expectation I waited until the inspiration came to me which took two years to take shape. When it did, the vision and direction was very clear to and it was full steam ahead, everything fell into place and YŌLI was born. I am a strong believer that if you are on the right path the direction will be very clear and happen organically. If you are fighting the process, you may need to take a moment and really listen to what’s happening. For me, building a brand and running a business takes some brains, some knowledge and a whole lot of heart and intuition.
- How do you practice self-care?
Self-care to me has been about creating boundaries, I have had to preserve my mental, physical and emotional wellbeing by ensuring I have boundaries. This may mean that I don’t come into the office everyday but choose to work from home when I feel my mind needs solitude, putting devices away at the end of the day and logging off social media. Just really listening to my mind and my body. I have a large amount of responsibilities in my day to day, so I have found setting these boundaries has been crucial in my resilience and stamina. I exercise every morning and follow with my YŌLI bathing ritual which focuses on calming the senses. I turn the lights off, light a scented candle and play the YŌLI bathing rituals playlist. Making the most of my 15 minutes in the morning to calm and centre before my busy day, being a mum of two children and two brands often means this sweet 15 minutes in the shower is my only quiet moment to myself for the whole day, we have a very loud household, so I really crave the calmness during this time. Unwinding at the end of the day, I always meditate at bedtime and practice breathing exercises to release stress and tension.
- Talk us through your daily skincare rituals?
I always cleanse morning and night, followed by a serum, gua sha and moisturiser. I like to bring the day spa experience home, whenever I can so my rituals focus on calming and restoring.
- How do you define beauty?
As I have grown older, my definition of beauty has evolved, particularly after having kids. To me, beauty less superficial but more about loving yourself. We are all human beings with flaws, lumps, bumps and curves. I admire the beauty of those who have confidence and comfort in loving their uniqueness.
Find our more about Yoli Haus here
