From Gujarat To Centre Court: The Indian Link Behind Wimbledon's Iconic Towels
Wimbledon 2026 is nearing its conclusion, and fans are eagerly waiting to see who will lift the coveted Grand Slam titles.
- Wimbledon towels have become a new trend for the tennis fans around the world
- However, these towels have a strong Indian connection, leaving fans surprised
- Official Wimbledon towels have been made by Christy since 1987, now produced in Gujarat, India
Wimbledon 2026 is nearing its conclusion, and fans are eagerly waiting to see who will lift the coveted Grand Slam titles. The women's singles semi-finals took place on Thursday, with Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova booking their spots in the final. Attention now turns to the men's singles semi-finals on Friday, headlined by the blockbuster clash between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner. While the high-quality tennis continues to captivate audiences, another unique aspect of the prestigious tournament has also caught the attention of fans in recent years - the players' towels.
Traditionally, items such as racquets, wristbands and caps have been prized memorabilia among supporters. However, Wimbledon towels have also become highly sought-after collectibles over the last few years.
The Indian Connection
Interestingly, the towels used at Wimbledon share a strong Indian connection. Since 1987, luxury home brand Christy has been responsible for producing the official Championships towels. Although they were originally manufactured in Britain, production was later shifted to Vapi, Gujarat, after Indian textile giant Welspun acquired the brand more than 15 years ago and gradually moved manufacturing operations to India.
The design process for each year's towels begins nearly 18 months before the tournament. Christy's design team studies seasonal colour palettes, emerging design trends and changing consumer preferences before finalising the towel's appearance.
Why Players Love Them
Players are expected to return their towels after every match, but many choose to keep them. Every year, several players take the towels home as souvenirs, while others gift them to fans. As a result, only around 15 per cent of the towels are returned during the tournament.
The towels' popularity has turned them into one of Wimbledon's most cherished pieces of memorabilia, making them almost as recognisable as the tournament itself.
Indian influencer at Wimbledon
For most people, attending the Wimbledon Championships is a dream. For Indian digital creator Vijay Kumar, it marked another milestone in a journey that began in a small village in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district with nothing more than a phone, simple ideas and a passion for making people laugh.
His visit was a reminder of how far he has come through years of consistent content creation and how social media can change a person's life. "This is for the ones who kept believing in me. Thank you," he wrote on Instagam while sharing pictures from his Wimbledon visit.
Novak Djokovic