Towel Production – How Is a Towel Made?

The towel-making process begins with yarns being wound on industrial machines, followed by the dyeing stage. The next and most essential step is weaving. Finally, the sewing process is completed. In just a few sentences, we've briefly explained how a towel is made and the key steps involved. In our country, towels are produced by consumer textile companies following these stages and are presented to the market in their final form.

The primary raw material used in towel production is **cotton**, due to its critical role in enhancing absorbency and improving overall towel quality. In addition to cotton, small amounts of linen, corn fibers, modal, lyocell, and seaweed are also used.

In recent years, **microfilament polyester** has started to be blended with cotton during production. Compared to cotton, microfilament polyester is much softer and superior in color brilliance, colorfastness, and ease of care.

Towels are produced in various constructions depending on their intended use. One of the most important parameters in towel fabric production is the **weft density** (12–25 picks/cm) and **warp density** (18–30 ends/cm). Among the most commonly used techniques in towel manufacturing is the **pile formation method**. To ensure even pile height, warp threads must be processed with minimal obstruction during weaving. In towel design, certain areas may be woven flat (without pile), such as **borders** or **edges**, for visual or structural purposes.

Looking at **towel weaving machines**, we see significant technological advances in recent years. Irregular pile formation, previously handled by cam mechanisms, is now managed more precisely with **servo motor-driven pile formation systems**. These systems allow adjustable pile height along the weft in two directions, helping to overcome the limitations of older mechanisms. However, due to the structural constraints of towel weaving, creating multi-group piles beyond three levels is still not feasible.

In wholesale towel purchases, one factor that affects pricing is whether the towel is single-ply or double-ply. If you notice a significant price difference between two towels of the same size, it likely means one is **single-ply**.

• Single-Ply Towel: 16/1 Yarn
• Double-Ply Towel: 20/2 Yarn

If you’re curious, you can also watch the towel production process and environment in the video below!