A social, economic and environmental project rooted in its territory
The herbal tea cooperative: a local vision to address global challenges
In response to the degradation of ecosystems, the lack of economic opportunities in rural areas, and the gradual disappearance of traditional knowledge related to medicinal plants, we are launching a concrete and committed initiative in Malin (Transylvania): the creation of a herbal tea cooperative, led by the women of the village.
This project aims to combine social inclusion, ecological resilience, and local economic development. It is fully aligned with the principles of social entrepreneurship, where economic activity becomes a means to serve the common good.
What problems does the herbal tea cooperative seek to address?
- Natural pastures and wild hedgerows are being destroyed or replaced by more profitable crops, threatening biodiversity and soil stability.
- Local women face few economic opportunities, often limited to informal or invisible work.
- Knowledge of medicinal plants is disappearing, despite their concrete benefits for health and local self-reliance.
- The rural area is slowly emptying out due to a lack of viable and shared prospects.
- The global herbal industry is often opaque, unsustainable, and provides low-quality products harvested without regard for ecological balance.
A herbal tea cooperative led by women
The cooperative will bring together several village women around the production and processing of herbal teas, based on wild hedgerows, natural pastures, and small-scale eco-friendly cultivation.
The structure will be designed to belong fully to the women who bring it to life, allowing them to take part in decision-making, benefit directly from the income generated, and invest their time according to their availability. This flexible framework encourages the involvement of women with various constraints, whether family-related, agricultural, or otherwise.
Even though the legal structure will not be a cooperative in the strict sense, it will embrace the core principles: collective ownership, shared governance, and fair distribution of profits. The organization will draw inspiration from sociocracy and “teal” organizations, encouraging a collaborative, evolving, and respectful approach.
A low-tech solar dryer to structure production
The first phase of the project is the construction of a low-tech solar dryer of about 15 m². This wooden, insulated building will be built by a local artisan business. The interior equipment (drying racks, ventilation system, solar panels, sorting tables) will be built during a participatory workshop involving the women and anyone interested.
The dryer will ensure the quality of the plants (even drying, optimal storage), meet sanitary standards, and enable a viable and regular production starting in 2026.
A low-investment, replicable pilot project
This project is designed as a pilot model that can be replicated in other villages. It requires minimal initial investment, relies on local resources, and follows an open-source logic. We will document each step to make it easy for others to reproduce.
Expected impacts of the herbal tea cooperative
- Social impact: creation of an empowering structured activity for women, skill development, and economic autonomy.
- Environmental impact: active preservation of local biodiversity, support for regenerative agriculture, low-carbon infrastructure.
- Local economic impact: small-scale artisanal activity, short supply chains, and fair redistribution of local income.
- Consumer impact: access to high-quality herbal teas, locally grown with care, without chemical inputs, and in full transparency.
- Multiplier effect: open documentation of techniques, transparent communication, and intent to share the model with other communities.
A concrete tool for preserving biodiversity
Preserving hedgerows and wild plants is not an ideological whim — it’s a way to protect the foundations of life, even for humans. These habitats support pollinators, stabilize soil, regulate moisture, and provide shelter to wild flora and fauna. They play a crucial role in making ecosystems more resilient to climate change.
In this sense, preserving biodiversity also means preserving our capacity to live, to heal ourselves, to grow food, and to pass on something alive to future generations.
Follow or support the herbal tea cooperative
This project is already supported by the EU Staff Fund for a Fair and Sustainable Future managed by the King Baudouin Foundation, and we are currently seeking complementary funding.
We’ll share regular updates on our website (sign up to our newsletter to stay informed) and on social media. A crowdfunding campaign is also planned to allow everyone to contribute — the first herbal teas will be offered in exchange for your support, as a kind of pre-order.
For any questions, ideas or collaboration proposals, feel free to contact us!