Cured Leaves Tea Co., Baltimore, launched its online tea company to offer top-quality loose-leaf teas carefully cultivated and ethically sourced from the heart of Africa and mindfully blended for the ultimate tea drinking experience, it says.

Cured Leaves Tea was born out of U.S. Army Veteran Paula Shaw's passion for the freedom she feels from yoga, a movement-based meditation practice, paired with the focused-based meditation practice of drinking tea. Shaw, a certified yoga instructor and Breath Master, began making tea blends for family members and clients a few years ago, but the demand grew quickly, the company says.

In early 2020, Shaw connected with blenders and tea farms on the continent of Africa, where each tea line is traceable and has a story of its own, to develop a variety of special tea blends, functional teas, and herbal infusions. She realized the COVID-19 pandemic was an opportunity to expand her business and share her mission to help bring health and wellness to the world.

“We are more than a tea company. We are a movement to create a healthier way of living and being for all,” Shaw said in a movement. “During a time when many of us are feeling isolated and anxious, we need the tools to find the stillness and oneness within ourselves without losing our sense of connection to others.”

The company is dedicated to raising awareness about global issues and empowering people through acts of love while promoting unity and community. Cured Leaves Tea offers yoga, breath work and tea workshops virtually and in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area and supports communities in the countries where the teas and herbs are harvested.

Cured Leaves Tea products including East African Currant (a blend of hand-rolled Kenyan black and purple Tea), White Hibiscus Passion (white tea, hibiscus, and natural peach flavors), and Green Mint Magic (green tea and peppermint) are available for U.S. and international shipping.