Christy, the historic British textile company, has been supplying Wimbledon with its iconic towels since 1988. These towels have become so coveted that players frequently take them home, a practice that has become a notable part of the tournament's lore.
Iga Swiatek, the Polish tennis player, was noted for taking six towels after a single match during the 2025 tournament. When questioned, she cited their superior quality, stating she uses them daily at her home in Warsaw. A video posted by the official Wimbledon Instagram account showed Swiatek playfully miming "shhh" after packing three towels into her bag, with the caption humorously warning, "No towel is safe when Iga Swiatek is around."
Vanshika Goenka, the CEO of Christy, views this player 'pilfering' not as theft, but as a testament to the towels' iconic status and their role as a memento of the tournament. "The towels are iconic, and they’re something for the players to remember the match with," Goenka said.
Christy's connection to Wimbledon dates back to 1988 when the company produced the first official Wimbledon towel. The original design was a dark green rectangle with thin white stripes. Since then, the design has evolved, but Christy has remained the sole provider.
Beyond Swiatek, many other prominent players have admitted to taking towels. Novak Djokovic stated in 2016 that he strategically prepared space in his bags for towels and would even use the excuse of being warm to receive extra ones during matches, often gifting them to family and friends in Serbia. Roger Federer also acknowledged taking a few towels, noting they made good gifts and contributed to a "big collection stacked up back home."
Each year, Christy supplies approximately 50,000 towels to Wimbledon. Of these, 30,000 are the traditional purple and green design with a "buttermilk"-colored date, and 20,000 are a seasonal style, which for the 2025 tournament was a red "strawberry" towel with pink stripes. Following the tournament, 43,000 towels are sold in the Wimbledon gift shop for £40 each, with the remaining 7,000 allocated to players. During the 2025 tournament, by the end of the first Thursday, only 828 of the 2,799 towels provided to players had been returned, indicating that 1,971 towels were taken by athletes.
Towel Design and Quality
Goenka explained that the ideal tennis towel should have a slight texture to effectively absorb sweat. Christy learned this lesson in 2024 when they experimented with making the towels slightly softer, a change that was noticed by players. By the 2025 tournament, at Wimbledon's request, the towels returned to their standard texture, maintaining softness with a "little bit of scruff."
Sales and Weather Factors
Towel sales at Wimbledon are influenced by the weather and the number of attendees. A rainy 2024 tournament led to slower sales, while the sunny conditions of 2025 resulted in a strong sales period. Goenka anticipates a 10 to 15 percent increase in sales for the current year, contingent on favorable weather.
Design Process
Christy works approximately 18 months in advance on towel designs, with the 2027 seasonal designs already finalized. The process involves Christy proposing various design options to Wimbledon, which then selects its preferred styles. For the 2025 seasonal towel, Christy had initially proposed an orange design that was ultimately not chosen.
Brand Reach
While Wimbledon towels are a significant product, Christy's brand has a global reach. They sell year-round online, with notable sales in the Middle East and increasing traction in America. However, the Wimbledon shop remains the primary sales location, offering not only towels but also various Wimbledon-themed merchandise.
The company, founded in Manchester in 1850, was acquired by the Indian textile firm Welspun in 2006. Production was moved to Gujarat, India, in 2010, though the company's headquarters remain in Stockport.