Christy

Christy: the textile brand with a 170-year-long history.
In 1850, young financier Henry Christy returned to Britain after an expedition to Turkey. He brought with him an extensive collection of beautiful—and technologically unfamiliar—fabrics. Among them was a fluffy, looped cloth that fascinated Christy's brother, Richard, so much that he and an employee, Samuel Holt, worked out how to make their own.
The Christy family created a machine that made their Turkish towelling fabric on an industrial scale and set up shop at Fairfield mill on the outskirts of Manchester. The brothers quickly took their soft, absorbent towels to market.

They started showing their wares at the world-famous Great Exhibition in 1851, where they caught the eye of none other than Queen Victoria, and by the 1890s, W.M. Christy & Sons was big business. At the Fairfield mill, 30,000 spindles were turning cotton into fluffy yarns that fed over 700 looms, which were weaving overtime to keep up with demand for terry towels.
Christy stayed true to its Royalist roots for years to come. The Coronation of Edward VIII was due to take place on the 12th May, 1937. Preparations had already begun and Christy had already manufactured and sold souvenir towels when he abdicated on the 11th of December 1936. Christy still went on to produce a souvenir Coronation Towel for King George VI in 1937. In 1953, Christy presented Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with a special towel as a gift to celebrate her coronation.

In 1988, Christy became the official towel supplier to The Wimbledon Championships. Over the past 30 years, the partnership has become an iconic part of the tournament. Christy’s limited-edition Wimbledon towels are coveted by players and fans alike.
Christy is a best-seller at BrandAlley, and we are frequently stocking new collections of the brand’s towels and bedding. Perfect as a wedding gift, a new-home gift or personal treat, shop Christy towels in every size and colourway, all in the brand’s signature premium cotton towelling.