We use bathroom towels every day, sometimes multiple times a day. They are the catchall for just about anything, and that hasn’t been missed by those who make them. While their colors and patterns may be just for show, their construction has a far more functional purpose. In fact, it turns out that towels have been keeping a secret — and it’s all in the strips. Those woven strips on both ends make towels more durable. When designing products with terry fabric, fraying is more likely. To curb that potential, manufacturers create strips with a dense weave on both ends of the towels for edge reinforcement. That way, you get the softness and absorbency that you look for in a towel, without the risk of losing its shape or shrinking because of fraying. Commercial users like hotels and gyms especially need the extra durability to handle multiple industrial-scale washing machine cycles. It all comes down to how long you want your towels to last. Knowing that strips provide more durability and longevity, you can buy less and reuse more.
