What Are The Lines On Bath Towels For?

When you're drying off after the shower or folding laundry, you might look at your bath towels and wonder what those lines near the edges are. The flatter trim near the bottom actually has an important purpose, which is why it's seen on many bath towels. Known as dobby or cam borders, the woven lines are there to help make your towels last longer. With constant washing and drying, towels have a tendency to become misshapen over time, but this tightly sewn portion helps the fabric keep its shape. This simple feature prevents the corners of the towels from curling as well, making them look nice even when they're folded.

These borders also help keep the ends from fraying during washing. The dobby or cam border is usually situated a few inches above the hem at the edge of the towel. In some cases, the lines are also used to help fold multiple towels consistently. Hand towels will sometimes have these lines as well. Besides improving the functionality of your bath towel, the borders add a decorative touch that can make the material look more elegant.

Cam and dobby strips are both designed to help the towel hold up over time. However, dobby borders are more decorative. If you look closely, these lines will have more intricate weaving within the strip, creating a pattern. Dobby borders are often found on towels that are branded to be more luxurious or high-quality. These towels are bathroom additions that create spa-like vibes and can elevate the look of your space. Though dobby bands look nice across the fabric, they may not hold up as well against heavy use over time as cam borders.

While they are extremely similar to dobby borders, cam strips aren't as pretty. They tend to have a simple, flat weaving without any eye-catching designs. Cam towel lines are primarily functional, though they still add a little bit of decoration to the fabric. Because the weaving is simpler, it may also be stronger and last longer than dobby borders. Whether the lines on towels are dobby or cam borders, they'll still help protect the material from stretching and allow you to display your towels decoratively.