History of tea towels | What is a Tea Towel?
Tea towels are also known as dish towels (Gallant’s tea towels) are made with a soft organic cotton cloth fabric. The typical size of Tea towels is 28 inches x 28 inches.
Hiding in plain sight in your kitchen is one of the most versatile tools you own. It is not mechanical or electrical; it is made of cotton. It can usually be found near your sink, as it is used several times a day. It can wipe, dry, and cushion many objects. You take it for granted because it could be found in your family's kitchen when you were growing up, and it was an integral part of your grandmother's kitchen and pantry. It is a tea towel or a dishtowel. Amazingly, its uses go far beyond the kitchen, and its long history is very interesting.
For hundreds of years, some type of skin or fabric was used to "clean up" where cooking was being conducted. In Europe during the 17th-century, linen began to be processed into cloth. It gained rapid success in the kitchen because it was absorbent, could be cut and hemmed to any size, and could be easily cleaned. The 19th century brought the advent of industrialization, and cotton milling became common. The production of fine cotton- fabric for tea towels that did not leave lint or streaks opened the tea towels market. Their primary use was to insulate a teapot when afternoon tea was being served. Since the tea service was usually fine bone china, the tea towel was also used to dry the delicate porcelain pieces, and, perhaps, wrap them for storage. Tea towels became a staple in the household. Servants would carefully hem plain towels for their mistress to embroider or embellish. Some towels became family heirlooms, saved, and cherished by future generations. Today people have begun to look at their homes in a different way after their long confinement during the COVID 19 pandemic. They have become very creative with ordinary items--the tea towel has been one of the beneficiaries of this creativity.
Gallant’s Tea Towels are made with 100% Organic Cotton
Modern printing technology has made designing tea towel patterns limitless--from bold mid-century modern to renderings of medieval castles; from snowy owls to suffragettes. If it can be drawn or photographed, it can be produced. A budding artist can stretch a white tea towel over a frame and use a wide variety of media to produce his own masterpiece. In fact, it is said that Vincent Van Gogh painted on stretched tea towels while he was institutionalized, waiting for canvases from his brother Theo. "Large Plane Trees" and "Wheat Fields in a Mountainous Landscape" are the two documented paintings. A framed tea towel, or a series of framed tea towels, would be a dramatic statement on a kitchen wall.
Culinary uses for tea towels are very utilitarian. A good chef always has a tea towel at the ready to use as a potholder or a cushion for a prepared dish. It can also wipe away little spots on a plated dish. Drying lettuce and herbs are done by placing them on a towel and gently rolling it to blot them. A damp towel placed over rising bread keeps it moist. Covering baked goods with a damp towel extends their freshness. If used to line a crisper drawer in the refrigerator, it will keep fruits and vegetables fresher while absorbing any moisture they produce. Polishing sterling silver is easier with a smooth tea towel. A damp tea towel under a cutting board will keep it from slipping while you are chopping and dicing. A charming kitchen bulletin board made from a tea towel with a complimentary design could be changed each month.
In the dining room, tea towels make dramatic placemats and napkins, a larger version of a napkin. Handy with a sewing machine? Stitch several together to make an eye-catching tablecloth or table runner. Brightly colored tea towels could be bunched together and placed in a tall clear vase to be used as a centerpiece. Bread baskets are appealing when lined with attractive tea towels. Dining at the beach at a fun-filled clambake? Use ocean-themed tea towels to make bibs by stitching the tops and running twine through the channel. Tie one on and enjoy your lobster.
Footstools could be covered, or the arms of an upholstered chair protected by an interesting design or colors coordinated with the room. Sewing two towels together and stuffing them with a pillow form would make throw pillows to liven up a couch. These ideas could also be used as hostess gifts or use a towel as a unique wrapping paper.
Guests could use tea towels in the bathroom. Several designs could be left by the sink, eliminating the need for paper towels.
Recycling, rather than throwing away, is always a better alternative. A warm towel would be a soothing spa treatment as part of a facial or pedicure. Even cleaning the bathroom mirror goes smoothly using a tea towel.
Young artists and their friends can make handprints and signing them on a tea towel that could later be stretched or actually used as a towel. Potato prints or colorful sponge-painted designs create original products. Again, the ideas are limitless.
Rainy days or home-bound days become more exciting with child-inspired projects. For the more ambitious, tea towels can be tea-stained or dyed, then cut into strips that would resemble animal fur. They can be stapled to rods and strung with wire or rope to make marionettes for a clever animal puppet show. Adult artists can try their hand at original cross-stitching as their ancestors did. It will be another generation of family heirlooms in the making.
Tea towels can be found at big box stores, home goods stores, specialty shops, flea markets, and yard sales. The largest selection will be on E Bay, Etsy, and Amazon, where thousands are available at the click of a mouse. Some are signed by the designer, such as George Wright, Milvia, or Tammis Keefe, whose work was included in the Museum of Modern Art show, "Good Design of 1950". Collectors look for unused towels with their tags and labels intact. The French towel, or "torchon" is popular, as well as towels made in Poland, Hungary, the USSR, and the UK. Perhaps starting your own collection is the best use for tea towels.
This humble, ubiquitous tool can make a large statement and add a new dimension to everyday life. Take it out of the kitchen, fire up your imagination, and see where it takes you. It could be an exciting adventure. If you are looking to buy wholesale tea towels, please contact Gallant International Inc. We make 100% organic and fair trade custom tea towels. The usual size of Tea towels size is 28 inches x 28 inches, but it can be customized to any size you desire.
