Episode 99: The Esha Chabra (Alaya Tea) Interview

Hamilton Perkins Collection

We started Alaya to help time slow down, and to build a kinder tea business -- one that’s kind to its people, to the nature it relies on, and to you, who drinks it. In the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, Darjeeling, a community famous for producing the Champagne of tea, sits amidst the Himalayas. Here, time unravels more slowly. An iconic train makes its way up the mountains, over hours, to this old British outpost. As the fog lifts, women can be seen hugging the sloping tea estates each morning, plucking two leaves and a bud, or tea, by hand. Meanwhile, they sing. It's magical. Nearby, fields of chamomile flowers grace the valleys. Mint grows abundantly. These are the bounties of nature, cultivated by women, resulting in the highest quality teas and herbs. Women are the backbone of agriculture in so many of these communities, be it in Darjeeling, Assam, or Kerala. We are a company that celebrates the beauty of these women in the tea growing regions of the worlds. Thanks for coming along our journey. 15% off code for Kombucha Kits using code HAMILTON15 https://www.alayatea.co/

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Hamilton Perkins is the founder of Hamilton Perkins Collection, an award-winning lifestyle brand specializing in the creation of bags and accessories made from recycled materials.

Hamilton Perkins Collection has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, The Washington Post, and Money Magazine. HPC has also worked on multiple Fortune 500 client projects including Hewlett-Packard, Dow Chemical, Nordstrom, and TJX Companies.

In addition to running Hamilton Perkins Collection, Hamilton has contributed research to Harvard Business School on Impact Investing, Sustainability, and Social Entrepreneurship.

Hamilton also led a partnership with the Sanitation Foundation to create 5,500 face masks for New York City Sanitation Department workers.

Hamilton serves on the Executive Advisory Council for Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business.

He is a graduate of Old Dominion University with a degree in Business Administration and he earned his M.B.A. from William and Mary.

https://hamiltonperkins.com/