Instead of putting her daughter’s outgrown Tea into a donation box or the back of a closet, Holly decided to do something different with it. With a little creativity and overwhelming support from her online friends in the Tea Buy Sell Trade Facebook group, she began turning pre-loved Tea into handmade dolls.  

Read on to learn more about Holly’s story.

“I began making dolls a few years ago and thought it would be fun to find a Tea dress from every destination and have a Tea Destination Doll sale for my Buy Sell Trade group friends. It was a hit, and so began my Tea Collection dolls! 

From there, I started making custom dolls for little girls and boys with their matching Tea clothing. It has been so much fun to be able to make keepsakes for other kids (and my daughter, of course!). My daughter is seven, so she still has a few more years left to wear Tea, but I realize that the day will come when she outgrows these beautiful clothes. Making the dolls is a way to remember these sweet Tea fabrics and memories of her childhood.

It’s incredibly hard to pick one favorite Tea destination, but if I had to choose, it would be India since the Kantha Birds dress was my daughter’s first Tea. That dress started my obsession with Tea Collection six years ago. I hunt that dress down every year for her and will probably make her a doll with that print eventually. 

Thank you Tea Collection for making beautiful, inspired clothing for little kids. We will love Tea Collection long after my daughter is all grown up!”

We love seeing the creative ways you repurpose your outgrown (but much loved) Tea! If you or someone you know has an inspiring story like this, send us a note at service@teacollection.com—we’d love to share it! Be sure to check out our latest styles inspired by Sweden, and don’t forget to tag us in all your fun adventures @teacollection on Instagram.

You may recognize these sweet faces and lovely family from last fall. Joining us again this season repping our Sweden collection is Naomi Phan-Quang and her crew of kiddos Luke (age 10), Abel (8), and Cole (6). With back to school officially back on, we wanted to learn more about what the PQs are excited about this year, as well as learn a little more about their family. Read on to find out about their favorite subjects, hobbies, and what they’re wearing for their first day this year!

What are 3 words that describe each one of you? 

Luke: “Outdoorsy, creative, a gamer.”

Abel: “Kind, playful, helpful.”

Cole: “Friendly, chatty, sassy.”

How would your siblings describe you?

Luke: “Energetic.”

Abel: “Crazy.”

Cole: “Happy.”

Are you excited to go back to school? What are you most excited about?

Luke: “Being the oldest grade on campus.”

Abel: “Seeing my friends again.”

Cole: “Meeting my new teacher.”

What do you like to wear to school?

Luke: “Shorts and long socks.”

Abel: “Sweatpants and sneakers.”

 Cole: “Fancy dresses and leggings.”

What’s your favorite subject in school?

Luke: “Science.”

Abel: “Writing.”

Cole: “Math.”

What’s in your lunch box?

Luke: “Chips, burrito, and water.”

Abel: “Hot dog and lemonade.”

Cole: “Apple, grapes, and chicken and rice.”

Are you involved in any after school activities or sports? 

Luke: “Baseball and football.”

 Abel: “Baseball and theater.”

Cole: “Baseball and theater.”

Do you have any other hobbies or interests? 

Luke: “Science, building things, gaming, sports, and biking.”

Abel: “Biking, baseball, and singing.”

Cole: “Playing pretend, dressing up, and reading.”

We also asked mom to answer a few questions about the upcoming back to school season and her kids:

What are you most looking forward to as your kids start school again? 

“A routine! And for the kids to see their friends again and carve a little place for themselves that’s just theirs.”

What’s one word you would use to describe each of your kids?

“Luke: innovative. Abel: tenderhearted. Cole: confident.”

How do your kids express themselves with clothing? How would you describe their style? 

“My kiddos wear a lot of hand-me-downs, so generally I would say we look for well-made clothing that can last three times over. Luke is creative, so he likes to mix prints. Abel is pretty conservative, so he gravitates towards basics and neutrals. Cole is in a dress phase, so she loves anything she can twirl in!”

Want more stories and Q&As like this? Be sure to follow @naomipq and us on Instagram, and don’t forget to check out our latest styles inspired by our travels in Sweden.

Welcome to Sweden! This season, we’re inspired by a country that values simplicity without sacrificing beauty, is rooted in nature, and is the leading consumer in candy consumption. Sweden holds a special place in our hearts, as it was the last trip we took before the pandemic ensued. Read on to learn more about our designers’ trip to Sweden and what inspired them from their short (but impactful!) trip to this fascinating country.

What attracted you to Sweden?

Modern Scandinavian design mixed with rustic folk. We wanted to see where the reindeers and huskies play.

What was on your initial itinerary and what were you most excited to see?

SFO to Kiruna then Stockholm. We were most excited to see the Northernmost snowy countryside of Sweden in Jukkasjarvi, Kiruna.

What surprised you or was unexpected about Sweden?

How friendly the animals and people were!

What kind of food did you eat?

Simple Scandinavian fare – fish, reindeer, and lingonberry juice.

You only have 24 hours in Sweden. Where do you go and what do you see?

With only 24 hours, we’d say Stockholm and visit the foodhall and textile museum. But if you have a little more time, we’d recommend going to Northern Kiruna to do activities such as a Sami cultural experience and ride the ponies in the birch forest countryside.

You had to cut your trip short due to the pandemic. Can you describe your decision to leave and what it was like leaving Sweden around that time?

It was surreal. They were closing the borders in the United States in 48 hours, so we quickly had to change our trip to leave the next day or we would be stuck in Sweden.

How many Swedish fish did you eat while designing the collection?

Our Textile Designers made sure we had enough “inspiration” while designing the Swedish fish print. 😉

We hope you love our new collection and all that it has to offer. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram @teacollection to see more of our adventures from Sweden.

On June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas and announced the end of the Civil War—freeing enslaved African Americans more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Now known as Juneteenth, the day marks the end of slavery and is now recognized as a federal holiday.

To celebrate Juneteenth, we partnered with Ditto Kids Magazine, an anti-racism magazine for kids and adults, to share two Juneteenth-themed coloring pages to do with your kids. The first features the lyrics to the song “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the official song of the NAACP. Alexandria Scott, Founder & CEO of Ditto Kids Magazine, explains on our Instagram stories more about the song’s meaning and its ties to freedom. The second activity features the Juneteenth Flag and a few facts about the celebration. Download both activities below. 

Lift Every Voice coloring page

Juneteenth Flag coloring page

Want more resources from Ditto Kids Magazine? Shop Issue Two of their digital magazine, which centers around West African culture, where most African American roots can be traced back to. 

Be sure to follow @dittokidsmagazine on Instagram for more content like this, and tag them and us in your completed coloring pages!

We’re excited to announce an exclusive collaboration with Shun Moore, mother of three, friend of Tea, and Founder of Marlo Bea, to bring you kids’ head wraps in some of your favorite Tea Collection prints!

Made from repurposed Tea fabrics, these head wraps are the perfect pairing to your favorite Tea outfit.

Shun started making kids’ head wraps to help her own children and children everywhere learn about other cultures through self expression. We couldn’t be more excited about this match-made-in-Tea-heaven—shop the collaboration while supplies last at www.marlobea.com. 

About Marlo Bea Head Wraps:

The Tea collaboration head wraps are size little and come with a 2 inch elastic band in the back to assist with easily putting them on or taking them off. Each head wrap is 44 inches x 5 inches, and is 100% jersey cotton. They are handmade and sizes/cuts may vary slightly. One size fits most (note to self: the smaller the head, the bigger the bow).

How To Take Care:

Machine wash head wraps with cool water. No chlorine bleach. Hang to dry for best results. To return to the original shape, steam or iron on warm.

Head over to www.marlobea.com to shop the limited edition Tea x Marlo Bea collaboration, and don’t forget to check out our new arrivals for some outfit-pairing inspiration!