Plate No. 068 · fabric

Terrycloth

Terrycloth is the cloth of loops: extra warp yarn is fed in slack so it rises from the ground in thousands of small uncut loops, on one face or both. The loops are the function, multiplying the surface area so the cloth drinks water, which is why terry owns the bathroom. Mechanized terry weaving dates to the 1840s and industrial Lancashire; the same loop face turns up in beach robes, sweatbands, and the inside of winter sweatshirts. Cut the loops instead and the cousin cloth is velour.