The History of the Towel: From Hammam to Hotel

Towels have become an indispensable part of our lives: whether for drying hands or wrapping up after a bath, they are wonderfully soft and comfortable! Yet towels as we know them today have not existed for very long. In this article, we take a closer look at the history of towels and explore what came before them.

Towels before terry cloth

Anyone who is wet wants to dry off. Even in ancient times, there were therefore cloths used to dry the body after bathing. This was particularly true of the great civilisations of Egypt, Rome and Greece. However, in Central Europe too, towels had become personal hygiene items by the Middle Ages at the latest, carried individually and not shared. Most were made of linen, although the material likely varied by region.

The hammam towel as a forerunner

The Turkish city of Bursa is considered the birthplace of modern towels. It is said that in the 17th century, the first woven and often decorated pestemals made of cotton were used here. In hammams, clothing was exchanged for these narrow yet long towels, which covered the body. They were highly absorbent while also drying quickly. The head was also covered with cloth towels.

Over time, these towels became increasingly elaborate, and the loops we now recognise from terry cloth were introduced. These towels were initially called havly, later havlu, which is still the Turkish word for towel today.

By the way, you can find beautiful towels to match your hammam or sauna in our MÖVE Calm Essence range.

Industrial production: the invention of terry towels

 

These looped towels were “discovered” around 1850 by the British banker Henry Christie. He brought fabric samples back to England from his travels to the Ottoman Empire and showed them to his brother, who ran a cotton mill. A process was quickly developed there that enabled the machine production of terry cloth. Towels were sold either as individual items or by the metre.

This process soon reached Germany as well – and even today, we at MÖVE are proud to manufacture in the place where Germany’s first terry loom was installed. You can find out more here: 

Where does terry cloth come from?  

Further developments in hospitality and beyond

But the story of towels does not end there: cotton towels quickly replaced the linen towels previously used in this part of the world. This was certainly due in part to the boom in cotton production in the United States: cotton became the most important export commodity, making it more affordable.

The advancement of industrial manufacturing then made it possible to produce a variety of colours, patterns and fabric types. Today, terry cloth is distinguished, for example, into walk terry, warp-knitted terry and velour terry. In addition, materials other than cotton are often used. These include classic linen, but bamboo is also popular due to its many positive properties. Yarn development is far from complete, making it possible to achieve wonderful lightness combined with excellent drying properties and high volume: these advantages are brought together in the high-tech yarn Airspin, which we use in collections such as MÖVE Loft or MÖVE Wellness.

The hospitality industry in particular benefits from these advances: nowadays, it is no longer customary to bring one’s own towel, as was common in the Middle Ages; instead, hotels and guesthouses provide soft, fluffy towels. Expectations in terms of hygiene and durability are high, which is why the term “hotel quality” has gained in significance.

The future of towels: what we can expect

The continued development of robust yet lightweight yarns will certainly play an important role when it comes to new trends in towels. Alongside patterns, material blends and interesting textures, sustainability will increasingly come into focus for consumers. Water is not only essential in the production of terry goods themselves, but also in the cultivation of the fibres used for the yarns. Energy generation is another factor that companies must consider, along with social aspects.

Ultimately, the evolution of the towel shows us just how much tradition and innovation can be found in an everyday product – and how exciting its future remains.