Why is a Tea Towel Called a Tea Towel?

The tea towel is an essential item in just about every domestic and commercial kitchen in the UK.

It dries dishes and cutlery, protects hands from hot cookware, mops up spills, cleans surfaces, and can be washed again and again without losing functionality. Tea towels come in a huge array of sizes, colours, and designs, and many people collect them to keep as souvenirs or to use as decorations. 

It’s a multifunctional piece of kit that we’ve come to rely on, but with such a long list of ways that it can be used, why is it called a tea towel? Here we explain the history behind the humble tea towel and where it got its name. 

A brief history of the tea towel

The concept of the towel has been a part of human life pretty much since we started using tools and evidence of its use can be traced back through centuries. For example, the use of towels made of silk have been recorded in ancient China. 

Soldiers in World War II would carry a silk towel with a map printed it. This meant that the map could be easily hidden in the lining of clothes or in a shoe to avoid discovery if they were captured by the enemy. 

Artists throughout history, including Vincent Van Gogh, used the tea towel as canvas to create pieces of work that are still on display in galleries today. 

Why is a tea towel called a tea towel?

The tea towel secured its name during the Victorian era in England. Under Queen Victoria’s reign (which began in 1837), it became fashionable to serve tea and biscuits to visitors. Gradually this practice became a grander social event, with high society inviting their peers to late afternoon tea or High Tea (in the evening or at supper).

Society at the time was extremely hierarchical. Serving the best quality tea and food using only the finest china was the ambition of hosts and hostesses, and it was not acceptable to present this using an average towel. The towel not only had to look the part but also protect the fine china from accidental damage. 

The towel of choice was made from soft linen as it was lint-free and absorbent, so it wouldn’t cause any damage or detract from an otherwise flawless teatime presentation. This towel would be used throughout the service of tea and would be cared for with great diligence. 

Over time servants would adorn tea towels with special embroidery or hems that would make them stand out even more. The dedicated tea towel was born.

Buy wholesale tea towels here at Homefords

Whatever your organisation’s needs, when it comes to buying wholesale tea towels, Homefords is the place to shop. Our range includes a variety of tea towel designs at competitive prices to meet different commercial uses and a range of budgets. 

Explore our extensive range of tea towels today, and take advantage of bulk order discounts, fast delivery, and excellent customer service.