Iconic Towels Are Made In Gujarat

Wimbledon towels are Gujarat made

Nayan Dave| TNN | Jul 2, 2010

Gujarat wraps Serena Williams in a towel! One of world sports souvenirs, which turns top tennis stars kleptomaniacs, is now being made in Gujarat. Textile major Welspun group has started manufacturing the iconic Wimbledon towels at its facility in Vapi from this year.

For over 35 years, the towels were being supplied to All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), organisers of the 125-year-old championship, by a Manchester-based company, Christy. Welspun acquired Christy in 2006 and shifted manufacturing to its facilities at Anjar in Kutch and Vapi in Valsad. The investment in these two plants put together is around Rs 3,000 crores. 

 “These towels are produced under Christy brand and licensed by the AELTC. This year the towels have been made at Welspun’s towel manufacturing facility at Vapi,” says BK Goenka, chairman of Welspun Group. The towel’s design changes every three years. 

Men’s towels are always in the iconic club colours of dark green and purple, enhanced by gold. “The colours of ladies’ towel change every year – this year they are pink, blue and vanilla,” said B B Sharma, director (operations), Welspun. Such is Wimbledon’s quality control that its accounts manager Karthryn Keogh regularly visits the factory at Vapi.

The towels, sold at three shops inside Wimbledon complex, were the largest selling line in terms of volume and value in 2009 — they cost between £5 to £25. Each player is lent two towels for every match — around 5,000 towels over the fortnight-long tournament which ends this Sunday. Almost half of them are not returned. Players are requested to give them back but many of them like to keep them as mementos. 

“I wouldn’t say towels were stolen,” a Wimbledon spokesperson has been quoted as saying, “they are just not returned”. Often, you can find a mad scramble for grabbing a towel flung at the audience by an ecstatic winner after the match. 

Harsh Adhyapak, a Gujarati tennis buff now based in Bangkok, has ordered one towel online on Wednesday. “Wimbledon is the grandest of all the slams and the towel makes a great souvenir. Almost like being attached or being a little part of the tradition. When I was young I used to see McEnroe and others using the green Wimbledon towel and always wanted to own one. Looks like I will have my wish come true in a few days,” he says. 

These towels have been a long tradition at Wimbledon and players make a habit of stealing as many as they can get their hands on. They make great gifts... For every match there are two new towels on your chair. When the match finishes, the ball boys try to snatch them from you, but if you shove them deep in your bag and run, they’re yours American tennis star Bob Bryan on his blog in 2006.