Editing Towel (section)

==History==
According to [[Middle Ages]] archaeological studies, "... closely held personal items included the ever present [[knife]] and a towel."<ref>Hatcler, Margret. ''Family Ties that Bind, Middle Ages Family Life''. Oxford University Press, 1968, p. 112.</ref> However, the invention of the towel is commonly associated with the city of [[Bursa]], [[Turkey]], in the 17th century. These Turkish towels began as a flat, woven piece of cotton or linen called a ''[[peshtamal]]'', often hand-embroidered. Long enough to wrap around the body, peshtamal were originally fairly narrow, but are now wider and commonly measure {{convert|90|x|170|cm|in}}.<ref name=JH>{{cite web|title=History of the Towel|url=http://www.jennifershamam.com/education/history-of-the-towel.html|website=Jeniffer's Hamam|access-date=28 April 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150509003955/http://www.jennifershamam.com/education/history-of-the-towel.html|archive-date=9 May 2015}}</ref> Peshtamel were used in [[Turkish baths]] as they stayed light when wet and were very absorbent.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Marchese |first=Ronald T. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lOcWWutNIi0C&dq=Pestemal+Turkish+bath&pg=PA171 |title=The Fabric of Life: Cultural Transformations in Turkish Society |date=2005 |publisher=Global Academic Publishing |isbn=978-1-58684-256-7 |language=en}}</ref>

As the [[Ottoman Empire]] grew, so did the use of the towel. Weavers were asked to embroider more elaborate designs, aided by their knowledge of [[Knotted-pile carpet|carpet-weaving.]]<ref name=TFY>{{cite web|title=History of Turkish Towels|url=http://www.turkeyforyou.com/turkey_turkish_towels_history|website=Turkey For You|access-date=28 April 2015}}</ref> By the 18th century, towels began to feature loops sticking up from the pile of the material. These looped  towels became known as ''havly''; over time, this word has changed to ''havlu'', the Turkish word for towel, and means 'with loops'.<ref name=LidT>{{cite web|title=A Brief History Of Towels|url=http://www.lidtime.com/a-brief-history-of-towels/|website=Lid Time|date=20 August 2013 |access-date=20 August 2013}}</ref>

Towels did not become affordable until the 19th century, with the cotton trade and [[Industrialisation|industrialization]]. With mechanization, cotton terry-towelling became available by the yard as well as being stocked in shops as pre-made towels.<ref name=Made>{{cite web|title=Bath Towel|url=http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Bath-Towel.html|access-date=28 April 2015}}</ref> Today, towels come in a variety of sizes, materials and designs.