Why do towels have non-towel strips?

[Paul]

You know the bit I mean. Sometimes there's a strip at one or both ends (but not usually at the very end) of towel that doesn't towel. What's it for and, if it is for something, why is it that sometimes it's there twice, sometimes only once and sometimes not at all?

[Kim]

Ah!  I know this!

Barakta's mum had a textiles student as a lodger for a while.  (Never do this, they'll run up massive bills by using the tumble drier the whole time.)  She talked about doing a towel project at one point, and I foolishly commented that I didn't think much design work went into a towel.

Anyway, short answer: It's because Design.

[hellymedic]

I don't know but note its absence on beach and bar towels.

[Jurek]

I recon it has got to be something to do with the way the material is processed / manufactured.
Towelling snags really easily, so the  bits that go through rollers  / wheels don't have towelling on them.

[Kim]

I think it really does just come down to the fact that towels are designed by people who care about towel design.  And that on average you sell more things if you have different styles of things.

I like Jurek's idea though.  Maybe the strips are a skeuomorphism derived from avoiding trouble at mill?

We need a Johnny Ball programme on the history of towels.

[Paul H]

Where else are you going to embroider your moniker?

[Jurek]

You should always know where your towel is.

[Kim]

You should always know where your towel is.

I found this pleasing line on Wikipedia:

According to Middle Ages archaeological studies, "... closely held personal items included the ever present knife and a towel."

I'm getting the impression that since towels as we know them are expected to undergo a lot of harsh washing, it makes sense to add design flourishes by altering the weave, rather than by using different colours.  Strips at the ends must be the simplest feature to make by re-programming a loom.

[Cudzoziemiec]

We need a Johnny Ball programme on the history of towels.

Johnny Ball? is he still making programmes? Srsly? Wow!

[offcumden]

I always put the clothes pegs on that strip, rather than jam them on the more bulky part of the towel; I'd sort of assumed that's what it was for.  But, given that most people seem to tumble-dry, there are probably other (economic?) reasons.

[Little Jim]

I'd always assumed that the plain edge bits were so that it made sewing the hems a lot easier and that the strips across the towel away from the edge were just decoration.

[Kim]

We need a Johnny Ball programme on the history of towels.

Johnny Ball? is he still making programmes? Srsly? Wow!

Not unless he's collaborating with David Bellamy on straight-to-YouTube documentaries for the climate change denial crowd.  Sad when your childhood heroes jump the shark like that. 

I think he was last seen doing publicity stuff for the Raspberry Pi foundation.

But an entire programme about towels (that nevertheless manages to educate and entertain) is exactly the sort of thing he would have done in his heyday.

[Jaded]

I always put the clothes pegs on that strip, rather than jam them on the more bulky part of the towel; I'd sort of assumed that's what it was for.  But, given that most people seem to tumble-dry, there are probably other (economic?) reasons.

Don’t they scratch when you dry yourself?

[offcumden]

Oh dear.

[Efrogwr]

Mrs E is a textile designer, and she doesn't know!

Another question; why do blankets have strips of satin sewn on the ends?

[Kim]

Another question; why do blankets have strips of satin sewn on the ends?

Thumb-sucking accessory for smalls.

[Efrogwr]

Another question; why do blankets have strips of satin sewn on the ends?

Thumb-sucking accessory for smalls.

Thank you. ;

[ElyDave]

You should always know where your towel is.

I left mine in the bathroom. 

I'm not expecting Vogons this evening, though they may be welcome

[Paul]

The only answer that explains the sometimes 2, sometimes 1, sometimes none, phenomenon (that I can see) is design. If there were a genuine reason, you'd expect more conformity.

Some people call it a welt.

[hellymedic]

Another question; why do blankets have strips of satin sewn on the ends?

Thumb-sucking accessory for smalls.

Certainly acted as such for my two youngest brothers!

I think this acts as a robust reinforcement to the sometimes delicate knitted (or woven) blanket fabric.

[offcumden]

Enjoyed the Lucy Mangan article - thanks. So I'm not the only one to peg on the non-fluffy strip. And now I've got a name for it!7

[The Family Cyclist]

I think/speculate that blankets have the satin smooth but as wool blankets are itchy and even if now made of something else no one has changed design.

[arabella]

For blankets, I think the satin bit is a binding.  The alternative is the end folded over and blanket stictched in place (numerous examples available at chateau arabella).  I've yet to work out how the tassels on rugs (aka glorified blanket with tartan pattern) are done though.
Not required down the sides as the articles are woven to the desired width.

[Ian H]

I forget who it was who said that it is the bit for drying your ears (might have been Fritz Spiegl).

[Pedaldog.]

Guy Martin does "Towels"?

Howard Goodall's Towel Works.

{Baldrick} "Well, Not exactly Towel, Sir".

{McCoy} "It's worse than that!, It's Wet, Jim".