Most People will go their entire life without ever knowing what the LINES on Bath Towels actually means!!

Towels are vital to many of our cleaning rituals. Despite their omnipresence in our lives, there’s a lot we don’t know about them. One of the more mysterious aspects is those thick lines of stitching some towels have near the hem. This patterning is called a dobby border or cam border, and it actually serves a pretty important purpose: It helps the fabric hold its shape and reduces shrinkage.

Naturally, there are a lot of online theories floating about, as to the purpose of these lines. They range from solely decorative to odd functions, like separating sections of the towel for better hygiene. 

Some people believe the stitched areas absorb water better — which, to be clear, isn’t the case. The fabric in the dobby border is stretched so tight that the piles (the small loops of thread) are flattened, unlike the rest of the towel, actually leading to poorer absorption.
As mentioned, the dobby border strengthens the towel, prevents fraying, and stops it from getting smaller over successive washes. When you tumble towels in a hot dryer, the center shrinks faster than the edges, distorting the shape.

 Not only does the towel lose its aesthetic appeal, but drying yourself with a wonky towel is a challenging feat. These patterned, stitched lines put a stop to shrinkage, keeping your towel in shape for as long as possible. Manufacturers stitch dobby borders into bath towels more often than with other household linens because towels are used and washed so frequently that they tend to wear out faster