Where does terry towelling come from? Interesting facts about the history of terry towelling

Terry products are popular because they are especially soft and absorbent. The fabric has loops on both sides, making it cosier and denser than terry cloth, which has loops on only one side and is considered less high-quality. However, towels and other terry products have not actually been around in Europe for very long.

Origins of terry towelling

Terry towelling probably originated in the Near East, where it was discovered around 1850 by the British banker Henry Christy (1810–1865). He was also active in archaeology and travelled to the Ottoman Empire, where he collected textile samples among other things. He feared that advancing mass production might displace traditional manufacturing techniques. Among the textile samples he brought back was a looped fabric, which he showed to his brother Richard Christy. Richard ran a cotton mill near Manchester in England and immediately recognised the immense potential of this looped fabric.

Further development of the fabric in England

Who originally invented the loop-weaving technique used for terry towelling remains unclear. However, the Briton Samuel Holt, who worked at Hillgate Mill, developed a process that made it possible to produce terry towelling by machine. As early as 1851, these innovative products received royal approval: Queen Victoria discovered the towels at the Great Exhibition and enthusiastically ordered six dozen of the “Royal Turkish Towel”. Terry towels first conquered the bathrooms of the aristocracy and later those of the middle classes. Even today, the traditional retailer Christy remains one of the best-known names in England when it comes to terry products. Cotton was already the material from which terry towelling was made in Europe in the 1850s. It is still used today as the basis for terry fabrics, although blends with other raw materials are also used to achieve different effects.

Production of terry towelling in Germany

Terry towelling also arrived in Germany quickly: the first terry loom was installed in Großschönau, near the German-Czech border, as early as 1856. In this traditional region, MÖVE terry products are now also manufactured, including the especially fluffy MÖVE SUPERWUSCHEL collection. The company itself was founded in Reutlingen in 1911, and in 1927 the “flying MÖVE” was registered as a trademark with the German Patent Office. The patterns in terry products are created on special Jacquard looms, which allow particularly fine and precise workmanship.

What does “terry towelling” mean?

The German word Frottier comes from the French frotter, meaning “to rub”. The term may derive from the fabric’s function, although its exact origin is not entirely clear. In French, terry towelling is called tissu éponge, which can roughly be translated as “sponge fabric”. The name refers to the high absorbency of the terry material.