Spring Tea Towels

native garden products

Bringing gardens inside the home

I had been running a stall at various markets for 6 months and had learnt about price points, anchoring and displays. I had determined that my product line needed a higher ticket item, and I wanted it to also be something people would find useful.

Selecting a manufacturer for the tea towels and selecting a fabric base involved obtaining swatches, checking minimum quantities per order and considering the origin of each fabric available. I had several options within Australia, and selected a pure linen as the fabric takes artwork well and is a sturdy, so will be loved for years.

For the design, I began by brainstorming plants and pollinators I’d observed in my own garden and those that were common at the local nurseries. I then did some extra research into pollinators of Australian native garden plants, to match the pollinators to their preferred flowers.

I created colour palettes for each tea towel and to make the overall set cohesive. I ordered test fabrics from the printers to check the colours, and was able to match the final print with beautiful vibrant colours.

The process

  • 3 paintings with a small card on each showing the colour palettes and textures of each design

    Colour palettes and texture testing to create a cohesive collection

  • Detail on the final painting

  • Test swatches to check colours on final printing

    Test swatches to check colours on final printing

  • a stack of linen tea towels folded and stacked on a bamboo board.

    The final linen tea towels

The tea towels have been a bestseller for both my online store and markets. I have been able to restock twice since their initial launch due to their popularity, and they have been over half my revenue at more than one market!

If you have a problem in need of magic mud and a splash of sustainability, let’s get into the garden together!