What “Local” Looks From the Ground Up
“Local” is a word you see everywhere this time of year.
It shows up on shelves, in gift guides, and across holiday marketing—often without much explanation. For us, local isn’t a label or a trend. It’s a relationship. One that starts in the field and carries all the way to the cup in your hands.
Especially during the holidays, that relationship matters.
A Native Tea, Grown Where It Belongs
If you’re unfamiliar with yaupon, you’re not alone.
Yaupon (pronounced yō-pon) is America’s only native caffeinated plant—an evergreen holly that has grown wild across the southern United States for centuries. Long before imported teas became commonplace, it was brewed and shared close to where it grew, valued for its smooth taste, gentle energy, and deep connection to the land.
Today, yaupon remains quietly resilient. It thrives without irrigation or intensive farming, offering a rare example of a tea that truly belongs to the place it comes from.
From Field to Cup, Literally
When we say local, we mean knowing exactly where something comes from—not in theory, but in practice.
Our yaupon grows wild in Texas, where it’s been part of the landscape for centuries. It’s harvested by hand, roasted close to where it grows, and crafted without needing to cross oceans or supply chains we can’t see.
There’s no abstraction here. No guessing. No “close enough.”
Local means we can point to the land. The people. The process.
Why Local Matters More During the Holidays
The holidays have a way of sharpening our intentions.
We think more carefully about what we give, who we support, and where our dollars land. Gifts become less about quantity and more about meaning—tokens of care rather than obligation.
Choosing local during the holidays isn’t about checking a box. It’s about alignment.
It’s about giving something that:
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was grown with respect for the land
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crafted by people, not systems
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and rooted in a place you can name
That kind of gift carries a story with it—one that doesn’t need explaining at the table.
Where Your Dollars Land
Every purchase makes a small decision on your behalf.
When something is grown and crafted close to home, your dollars circulate differently. They stay closer to the people harvesting, roasting, packing, and stewarding the land. They support livelihoods you could, in theory, shake hands with.
That closeness creates accountability. It also creates pride.
We don’t think of local as smaller—we think of it as clearer.
Gifting Something That Belongs Where It Comes From
There’s a quiet confidence in gifting something that belongs to its place.
Not imported. Not anonymous. Not over-designed to feel special. Just thoughtfully made, rooted in where it comes from, and shared with intention.
That’s what we aim for year-round—but especially during the holidays, when the act of giving carries more weight.
Why Our Holiday Collection Looks the Way It Does
Each year, our holiday collection reflects this same philosophy.
It’s not about adding more. It’s about choosing well. About gathering items that make sense together because they share the same values: care, craft, and closeness to home.
The collection exists not as a product drop, but as a way to share the story—of yaupon, of place, and of what local can look like when it’s taken seriously.
A Season for Thoughtful Choices
The holidays come and go quickly. What lingers are the moments—shared cups, familiar faces, and gifts that feel considered rather than rushed.
From field to cup, local means staying connected to those moments. It means choosing transparency over trend, intention over scale, and care over convenience.
If this way of thinking about local resonates with you, consider sharing yaupon this holiday season—at your table, in a gift, or as part of a gathering that brings people a little closer.
