Do You Know What That Strip at the Bottom of Bath Towels Is For?

This band is called a dobby border (sometimes a cam border), a term from the textile industry referring to a special weaving technique made with a dobby loom, which can create geometric patterns and textures like stripes, diamonds, or chevrons near the towel's edge.

Towels go through a lot — frequent washing, drying at high heat, and being tugged and twisted in daily use. The dobby border acts like a stabilizing anchor to keep the towel from fraying, unraveling, or stretching out of shape, adding structure to the ends and reinforcing the fabric's integrity.

Towels are often made in long continuous rolls and then cut and finished into individual pieces. The dobby border serves as a guide or marker in the cutting process, allowing precision and consistency in towel length, and it helps in folding towels uniformly — especially useful for retailers and hospitality businesses where neat presentation matters.

That flat border dries faster than the thick, looped terry cloth that makes up the rest of the towel. While you wouldn't use that strip alone to dry off, its lower density helps reduce the towel's overall drying time after laundering and helps prevent mildew buildup by releasing moisture more quickly.

Dobby borders aren't exclusive to bath towels — you'll find them on hand towels, washcloths, and even bath mats. Some high-end towels have multiple dobby bands or more elaborate weaves, depending on the brand and level of luxury. One downside: if the border's materials or weave density differ from the rest of the towel, it can shrink at a different rate and pucker slightly after several washes, which is why quality manufacturers pre-shrink their fabrics or match weave tension throughout.