Britain was the very first country to invent the ‘Tea Towels‘ term.

In the 19th Century, roughly 1870, Great Britain’s Linen Tea Towels were a unique drying material that the lady of the home would utilise to dry out expensive items of China.

With its fine weave, linen was deemed the fabric of preference as it wouldn’t normally scratch bits of fine china or glasses.

British servants were arraigned with hand hemming and hand embroidering the tea towels. Each tea towel was padded with care, with many of them turning into the subject of family treasures passed along decades.

Linen was deemed the very best usage of soft material; nevertheless it did need a lot of hand held care. Water temperatures could hardly be that warm so all linen had to be put up out to dry from the sunshine. When the tea towel was just a bit wet, it needed to be ironed on the reverse side.

It is highly recognised that British people like their tea and pride themselves on the way they serve it. At tea events the table was amazingly covered with the finest of linens and the most breathtaking crystals and China, complete with matching serviettes and tea towels.

Dry and clean tea towels were often used as a tea cosy twisted around the teapot to insulate and keep the pot hot, as well as a basket warmer to maintain tea scones, tea cakes or muffins hot and fresh.

Tea towels were bulk made by the Industrial Revolution with companies like Ulster Weavers nowadays creating Cotton Tea Towels and other kitchen linen items displaying a variation of images, images, styles and trends.