Chances are you have a stack of bath towels at home, and if you look closely, many of them feature neat woven stripes or lines near the edges. While most people assume these are purely decorative, there’s
actually a practical reason behind the design. And, as a viral Reddit post recently showed, not many people know about it.
A few months ago, a Reddit user shared a photo of four towels placed side-by-side, all sporting similar corner stripes. The user admitted he had no clue why the lines existed and turned to the internet for answers. The post soon blew up, drawing over 14,000 upvotes and thousands of comments.
One user suggested the stripes help manage moisture, saying the centre of the towel absorbs water while the woven edge prevents excess dripping onto the floor. Another commenter claimed the stripes make it easier to identify towel types when they’re folded, as the borders vary in thickness and design.
However, textile experts point to a more technical explanation. Emma Seymour, Associate Director of the Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, explained that the feature is known as a “dobby border”. Unlike the rest of the towel, which is made of plush terrycloth, the dobby border is tightly woven.
These lines on towels always make me think.What they mean I honestly don’t know.
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According to Seymour, this border gives the towel structure and prevents the edges from fraying, helping it last longer. The dobby stripe is typically found near the ends of the towel and may appear as a single band or multiple lines.
So the next time you reach for a bath towel, those subtle stripes aren’t just for style; they’re there to keep your towel intact and looking neat for years.
