Let’s talk about tea towels.
Not the crusty one you’ve been using since the Obama administration—retire her. I mean the kind of tea towel that makes you feel like the main character in Julia Child's kitchen, casually drying your hands while French jazz plays and no one is yelling.
Historically, tea towels were the fancy linens of 18th-century Britain, used to polish fine china and judge people who didn’t have fine china. They were dainty, domestic, and just a little bit snobby; basically the Victorian version of a curated Instagram grid. Over time, they evolved from utility cloths into art objects, especially now, since we started printing fine art designs from our Allport Artists on them. Everything from hummingbirds to dogs in Volkswagens all in glorious, cheerful, color, and made right here in the USA.
And now? Now we’re wrapping birthday gifts in one.
Yes, friend. The tea towel is the ultimate twofer: it's eco-friendly wrapping paper and a bonus gift. Top it with a card that matches the vibe (quirky-cute, boldly feminist, unhinged-in-a-good-way—we’ve got options) and suddenly, you look like someone who has their life together. Even if you signed your name in the card with a glitter pen at a red light.
It’s charming. It’s reusable. It’s soft.
Give the gift of a tea towel. Your mom will match it to her new tea mug. Your friend will Instagram it. The planet will send you a thank you note.
- Teri & Sam
1 comment
Lovely idea, and a very fun article.