The British insult “tow rag” or “toe rag”, referring to a contemptible and worthless person, is named after the nautical precusor to toilet paper:
Back in the days of sailing ships, the sailors did not have toilet paper. What they did have were rags. Cloth rags known as “tow”. After having completed their daily evacuations, sailors would engage in ablutions using a rag. This rag was then tied to a rope and dragged behind the ship in order to clean it (or them).
The British insult “tow rag” or “toe rag”, referring to a contemptible and worthless person, is named after the nautical precusor to toilet paper:
https://snowbirdofparadise.com/2020/04/02/the-tow-rag-explained/