Towel maker Christy's is the official supplier of towels for the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships for decades. It is now recycling pre-used towels and turning them into "heirloom" bags.
ADVERTISEMENTWimbledon towels have used by British tennis champions for 30 years. Now, Christy's is bringing something new to the tennis courts: recycled handbags. Tennis players will be able to purchase their "heirloom" bag made from excess towel stock this year for €65.
The upcycled tote bags are made from the 2023 Wimbledon towels and come with additional padding on the straps and a zip. They come in classic Wimbledon green and purple and the 2023 seasonal fuscia colour.
To ring in the changes, this year's Wimbledon towels are in the colours of hyacinth and lavender and will cost €39. If the recycling trend works, Christy's plans to continue the recycling towel bag trend with the towel leftovers for this year coming into their own for the 2025 Championships.
Christy's transition into bag making is not as big a jump as it may seem. They are already producing bedding, robes, throws, and cushions.
Christy's is a popular brand and includes members of the British Royal family among its customers.
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It was started in 1850 by Henry Christy, a banker and collector, from Droylsden, Lancashire who had a love of Turkish fabrics. He originally gained fame for his looped cotton towel, the "Terry towel". Christy appeared first at the 1851 Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, where Queen Victoria loved what she saw.
The company had started to fall out of favour in pre-pandemic years and lost profitability through poor management decisions. Now, however, it has returned to profitability with good pre-tax figures over the past three years.
The company's new chief executive officer, Vanshika Goenka Misra, manages the Stockport-based business out of Dubai. She has expanded the brand audience to include younger customers.
