system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why are air dried towels more absorbent than machine dried towels?

Even accounting for fabric softener, I feel like air dried towels are more absorbent than machine dried.  I could understand if machine dried towels were just more efficiently dried, but wouldn't they then dry out further while sitting in the linen closet? Regardless of the surroundings they were stored in,  line dried seem to be more absorbent. Why is that? 

Edit: looks like the consensus is that machine dried towels should be more absorbent than air dried, so there is something wrong with my dryer. Also, white vinegar in the wash cycle to remove fabric softener residue. Thanks for all the info, reddit. 

I'm honestly amazed that so many people have such strong opinions about this.

Edit: re fabric softener. When I said I accounted for it when I asked this question,  I just meant that I normally add it to the rinse cycle in the wash, so the towels theoretically have them same amount on them regardless if I then line or machine dry the towels. 

Edit: Alright,  Reddit. You win. I've now spent my Saturday washing my towels with vinegar. Instead of fabric softener,  my house smells like pickles. I hope you're happy.
gpt
I know for bath towels specifically, the fabric softeners leave a waxy film on the fibres, making them less absorbent. 

I used to work for a cleaning contractor, and our microfibre cloths would become worthless if we forgot, and added a sheet of downy! They would also streak the hell out of mirrors and windows.