About Arpa Paraguaya
How It Started
In 2001, I was a year-long, high school Rotary exchange student where my year was split between Ciudad del Este and Asunción, Paraguay. I found my home-away-from-home as I was immediately embraced by my host family and friends. I quickly fell in love with the customs of tereré (iced mate shared in a communal cup), carne asado (outdoor barbeque with generous portions of beef, sausage, and local cerveza), and a focus on relationships with family and friends. After a year of calling Paraguay my home, I returned to Pennsylvania with amazing lifelong friendships, beautiful memories, and gifts of mate, Paraguayan lace called ñandutí, leather products, and fine Paraguayan jewelry. I’ve been fortunate to be able to return to my home-away-from-home every so often to reconnect with friends and my adoptive families. I’ve fallen in love with the people and culture. I’ve been impressed not only with the kindness of the Paraguayan people but also with the high-quality craftsmanship of their locally made products. It surprises me that these products have only a limited footprint outside Paraguay. Working closely with local craftsmen, farmers and manufacturers, our company is proud to bring you authentic natural products from Paraguay, the Heart of South America.
The Arpa Tea Difference
We are one of the few places where you can purchase Paraguayan Artisan products. Our founders have a direct connection with the local people, and our products invest directly into the Paraguayan economy, providing jobs to hard-working locals.
We source natural, hand-crafted products directly from our independent Paraguayan suppliers. Each product is meticulously selected, ensuring we bring only the most authentic and genuine products from Paraguay. We take pride in delivering genuine Paraguayan culture and love into your home.
For The Love of Paraguayan Culture
Arpa Tea products are a diverse celebration of one of the world’s most unique regions located in the Heart of South America. Paraguayan culture is a beautiful blend of Spanish and native cultures—Spanish and Guaraní are the two official languages. Similarly, Paraguayan products also exhibit a beautiful blending of these cultures. The Paraguayan harp is emblematic of this coming together. A European instrument was brought by the Spanish, embraced, and then modified by skilled Paraguayan craftsmen to create a uniquely Paraguayan musical instrument.
We desire to bring the best to you from this youthful, hard-working, and industrious country. Celebrate Paraguay with us as you relax sipping yerba mate infused with ka’a he’e (stevia) from its natural source. As we expand our products offerings, we will continue to focus on culture, community and quality.