COVID inspired Elizabeth Hollingsworth of Brighton House Décor to find a way to shine the light on the Aussie wine industry regions.
Launching her business in April 2015 to hire, buy and source Instagrammable décor for the events business, Elizabeth was doing well, and then COVID-19 hit and there were no more events. She launched a homeware décor business instead to try and keep afloat. “On the few outings we had, we would head to the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula for some wine,” Elizabeth said.
“It was there we realised sales weren’t just down in the events business, they were way down in the wine business too. Many winery owners were pressing us to buy souvenirs to help them stay afloat.” Elizabeth realised they could easily appeal to the wine business. “The tea towels I came up with are beautifully designed to feature watercolour-illustrated maps of the wine region. They feature around 15 vineyards (all ranked at least four stars by James Halliday Wine Companion) with their doors open to the public, as well as 15 accommodation properties for varying tastes and budgets and 15 awesome local attractions,” she said.
The Palatable Tea Towels range covers Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley, Margaret River, Mornington Peninsula, Mudgee and Yarra Valley, with five further regions including the Canberra District, Clare Valley, Geelong & The Bellarine Peninsula, McLaren Vale and Tamar Valley launched in July 2023, and local Ballarat artist all illustrates them, Caroline Keys.
“I’ve found they’re appealing to many tourists, from those looking for lightweight souvenirs (because they’re taking a lot of wine with them or have weight restrictions on their flights), to couples tying the knot and looking to give themed keepsakes of their big day, and, of course, for people like me who love tea towels,” Elizabeth said.
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