Here at Sips by, we agree that a balanced world is a better world and this International Women’s Day, we wanted to highlight some of the ways that your favorite tea discovery service is powered by women. Did you know that we are female-founded?
From our simple start with the sponsorship of fifteen brand partners, Sips by has grown to partner with nearly 150 brand partners. Together, they’ve helped to build the foundation of what Sips by is today — the only personalized tea subscription that listens to your preferences.
While members can always explore brand partners and their discounted offers (a perk of joining our free communi-tea), today we’re highlighting six brands who are changing the world for women through tea.
Sips by AJIRI
Founded in 2008, Ajiri Tea is a women-owned and women-run business that started with the social mission of creating employment for the people of western Kenya and of educating the local orphans. Ajiri comes from the Swahili word "to employ." They specialize in Kenyan tea handpicked on small-scale farms and employ women in the Kisii district of western Kenya to produce the handmade labels and decorative features of each box of tea! All profits from the tea go directly towards orphans' school fees and the purchase of books, uniforms, and school supplies.
We love the mission that Ajiri Tea owners Sara and Kate Holby are focused on - instead of just short-term aid, they have found a way to create a sustainable cycle of employment and education where it is truly needed.
Sips by TEECCINO
Created by Caroline MacDougall, an award-winning herbal beverage designer, Teeccino is helping people live healthier lifestyles by cutting down on coffee and sugar, and adding nourishing herbs into their diets, without sacrificing flavor. Plus, you can drink them any time of day! Their products are brimming with the health benefits and nutrients of various super herbs, and can either be brewed like coffee or steeped like tea.
We were excited to learn that Caroline worked directly with the FDA to import the Ramon seed to the US and in doing so, she has been able to provide fair trade work for women while stimulating the economies of impoverished communities.
We love Teeccino’s mission to support impoverished families in rural communities, organic smallholder farmers, and the preservation of the rainforest.
Sips by THE JASMINE PEARL
Since 2004, The Jasmine Pearl has been importing and handcrafting specialty loose-leaf tea in Portland, Oregon. Many of their teas are harvested and blended in small quantities, allowing them to share the freshest rare and seasonal teas. They have methodically tasted and studied thousands of different teas for over a decade in search of the most delicious and interesting examples available.
When we asked the team at The Jasmine Pearl to share with us how their brand impacts women, they said “ We are female owned and the majority of our staff is female--including our production/wholesale team (this is quite a rarity!). We also partner with other local businesses to create tea-infused products. Most of these collaborations are with other small, female-owned companies.”
Sips by TAHMINA
Tahmina (derived from the Persian word tahm, meaning strong and brave) is a women-owned, international brand with a vision to export transformational products from different conflict areas of the world, with the belief that economic development is one of the sustainable agents of change. We love Tahmina's mission of bringing positive change to Afghanistan and other parts of the world, by creating opportunities for employment and helping develop industries such as saffron. Saffron is internationally recognized as the world's most expensive spice and Afghanistan’s saffron has been named the best in the world, giving the industry the immense potential to replace opium farming and help rebuild the Afghan economy, all while empowering Afghan women.
Sips by TEA FOR EVE
Tea For Eve was born out of a mission to bring women teas designed with them in mind, with a balance of taste, aroma, health benefits and visual appeal. As a pregnant consumer, Kacia was unable to find pregnancy and lactation teas that offered a pleasing flavor. This struggle was the beginning of her health conscious and eco-friendly company. Their line of teas expanded as women requested additional therapeutic teas, and their focus was secured. They source organic and sustainable ingredients and use recycled food-grade American steel and 100% biodegradable plant-based materials for the packaging. Tea For Eve provides a cup of tea that strives to keep both the consumer and the environment healthy.
Sips by MISS TEA
Founded and owned by two single moms, Miss Tea is, in their own words, “all about empowering women.”
Founded in 2008 and based in Brooklyn, NYC, Miss Tea is passionate about helping people find moments of balance within their busy lives through tea. They were born and raised surrounded by nature, gardened their own herbs, and throughout their world travels, they always found their way back home with a cup of tea.
Miss Tea offers loose leaf organic teas and unique herbal infusions that come from all over the world. And while we love the whole relaxation experience the brand has cultivated, we also love what co-founder More shared last International Women’s Day on the idea of success as a woman, “Successful women are those who use their own attributes, stay true to themselves, honor the beauty of their femininity, and enjoy their own inner wisdom. We should embrace the way we move in life, each of us with our own unique dance and color, our sensitivity, intuition, vulnerability, assertiveness, wisdom, awareness, complexity and warmth.”
With much of its early history China, the tea industry has historically been dominated by men. Furthermore, even as the industry has grown, it has grown in many regions where girls and women are vulnerable to exploitation. As a female-founded tea business, we’re proud to partner with so many unique brands who are working to change the world for women.
So, today, on International Women’s Day, we raise a mug not only to these brands but mug to the achievements of women everywhere. Login to your Sips by profile to browse the offers page and support these women-owned brands.
SHOP BEST CAFFEINATED TEA
Need a natural morning boost or afternoon pick-me-up? Sips by has the best caffeinated teas to help perk up your days. From black tea to green tea, and flavored to pure, there's a caffeinated tea for every taste. Looking for even more caffeine? Try a high-caffeine tea. Whatever amount of energy you're looking for, there's a tea to help!
Interested in trying these teas and others? Subscribers receive 4 teas chosen just for them in every box. Learn more about our tea subscription service.
About Sips by: We’re a female-founded and led startup that makes discovering tea fun, personalized, and affordable. The Sips by Box is the only multi-brand, personalized tea subscription box. Each month, we match tea drinkers across the U.S. with delicious teas from over 150 global tea brands that we’re sure they’ll love. Based out of Austin, Texas, we are adept at savoring a hot mug even when it’s seasonally inappropriate.