About Tea With Iris

I started Tea With Iris to create products that help reduce everyday waste. Since 2010, I have been making products from upcycled and organic materials that encourage sustainable living. My work is inspired by a childhood spent in the open Coachella Valley desert with the surrounding mountains as my playground. While studying biology and working with the California State Parks habitat restoration program during college, I learned the value of native vegetation in our arid environment. This is why I incorporate native plant prints and organic materials in my products - their beauty inspires awareness and environmental stewardship. While working and living in Southeast Asia as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I became aware of how important it is to live in tune with Earth’s natural resources. Life in a rural island community taught me how important it is to deal directly with the waste that we create. After returning to the Coachella Valley and becoming a mother, I became even more proactive in living a healthy lifestyle, “walking the talk”, and helping my daughter grow her own love and respect for the environment. Who is Iris? Iris is our desert tortoise that we adopted from the Living Desert and she is the ultimate sustainable member of our family, living off the native desert plants in our garden.Read their story