Arthur has a lot of opinions about tea. And records. Also ska, vintage monster movies, the ingredients for a real reuben, and a lot of other things. For 15 years in the service industry, he heard a lot of opinions, and got really good at listening to what people wanted. In 2020, Arthur left the service industry to start Tea for the Underground – a Chattanooga-based small business on a mission to bring high-quality, eclectic teas to everyone.
Tea for the Underground is committed to local engagement, ethically-sourced products, and sustainable business practices.Â
Unlike a lot of agricultural products, tea isn’t usually local. The tea plant doesn’t grow everywhere, and the climate, soil, and growing conditions are what create the diverse varieties and styles of tea. That’s why it’s so important to know you’re buying tea that’s ethically harvested, processed, and imported.
Though our tea isn’t local, we are. And we work to support other small businesses, artists, and makers in our local and virtual community. We don’t think the world needs another multibillionaire trying to go to space. We support real people, putting themselves out there and making the world a little bit cooler.
We also want to leave some fresh air for our grandkids (and / or eventual AI overlords). That’s why we get our tea from an importer that uses North America’s first carbon negative, solar powered tea manufacturing facility. We use minimal packaging, compostable or recyclable when we can. Reusable tea infusers mean you’re not creating waste with every cup.
Finally, we think loose leaf tea should be a luxury everyone can afford. Tea is the most commonly enjoyed beverage worldwide, with about 6 million tons produced annually. But most tea in the U.S. is bagged, broken leaves, often with dust and fannings leftover from processing loose leaf. The good stuff is harder to find and too damn expensive. Tea for the Underground wants to change that, bringing high quality, loose leaf tea to the people.