We live in a busy world, and it seems to get busier by the moment. This realization motivated Libre tea CEO and founder Wendy Weir to develop their beautiful and sustainable glasses, which encourage people to enjoy more tea moments.

On a trip to China, the birthplace of tea and where many choose to drink out of to-go glasses, Wendy found herself on a crowded bus experiencing a high level of anxiety due to language barriers and general mayhem on the vehicle. Despite this, she had an aha moment when she witnessed the busy bus driver enjoy a quiet moment to himself at a stoplight, as he drank from a large jar filled with tea leaves and water.

“It was as if the entire world went away for a moment or two,” Wendy said.

When the light changed, the driver put his foot on the gas and away they went; however, Wendy’s moment of clarity was long-lasting.

At a tea shop in Yunnan, China, Wendy realized that the love of tea can overcome communication barriers. It was in one of these shops that she purchased a seven-year-old cake of earthy pu’er tea, which is revered in the country for its health benefits and, like wine, gets better with age. (It’s now 15 years old, and she plans to let it continue fermenting before breaking it open.)

Acknowledging that we could all benefit from tea moments, a time to reconnect with ourselves in this increasingly busy world, Wendy followed her intuition and the eco-conscious, convenient Libre tea glasses were born.

Hailing from Canada, a country ahead of the game in terms of BPA legislation, Wendy decided upon a glass interior for her product. In other words, it’s a glass we can feel good about using with hot water without worrying about plastic or chemical leakages.

The transparency also allows users to see the tea move around, the flowers expand and oolong leaves unfurl. What a beautiful way to capture one’s imagination and fantasy!

Since glass can be fragile, a durable poly exterior was chosen for its thermal properties. Wendy also worked with the manufacturer to develop a filter so that the three pieces easily fit together.

Unlike other to-go cups that are plastic and clunky, Libre tea glasses are pretty and practical. The glass interior’s nonporous qualities and thoughtful design make them perfect for all kinds of drinks, from fruit and herbal infusions to coffee and cold teas. Letting us in on a secret, Wendy said they also make wonderful compact martini shakers!

Using a Libre glass, Chinese green teas can easily be infused three or four times, and oolong teas (the ones with the nice, big leaves) can yield four or five infusions.

Wendy shared that one of her favorite loose leaf teas, which are more pure and full than tea bags, is coconut chai rooibos, a warming herbal tea with coconut milk that’s perfect for evenings. Her friends enjoy her coconut chai tea lattes and earl grey lattes with almond milk. Yum!

When Wendy sourced green tea from China and enjoyed a steady diet of the caffeinated beverage for over a year, she said she had her best dental checkup ever. After all, green tea is beneficial for teeth and gums.

Wendy added that it’s also great for meditation because it keeps you steadily alert and relaxed without the wind up and drop down many experience with coffee.

As a company, Libre is incredibly considerate of Mother Earth and operates out of an office approximately 150 square feet. It happens to be in the back of a co-op art gallery, which offers daily inspiration. Plus, they are big recyclers who work mostly virtually. Rather than create their own footprint, they ship through partners who are efficient and in the shipping business.

In addition to savoring more tea moments, Wendy finds balance in life by doing activities that nourish her, noting yoga and meditation, which she says helps begin her day in a mindful manner.

She also takes brief midday breaks, making sure to get fresh air and walk out of the office — even if that’s only to peruse the water colors, photography and sculptures in the nearby art gallery.

Fittingly, her favorite tea quote is from the Chinese poet Tien Yiheng, who said, “Tea is drunk to forget the din of the world.”

If you’re in NYC the weekend of March 21st and 22nd, stop by and say hello to Wendy at the Coffee and Tea Festival. (Just a heads up that it has sold out in advance the past few years!)

We encourage you to check out Libretea.com to find your perfect glass, and remember to enjoy the ‘tea moments’ to find an inner point of stillness. Simply sit back, sip, and relax.

A Grateful Giveaway:

We’re thankful to offer you the opportunity to win your very own Libre glass! Two winners will be selected. Enter by sending an email to [email protected] describing your most memorable tea moment. ♡