OUR STORY
Mint + Laurel is a social enterprise and e-commerce with one vision - to connect highly skilled artisans from the Middle East to an untapped global market. Founded by a group of Syrian-American women and launched in 2019 in Los Angeles, CA. This collective group of creators, problem solvers and dreamers, believe in clean living with purpose. With a focus on eco must-haves, like vegan bar soap made in Syria and zero-waste packaging made in America. These products aim to preserve an ancient cultural heritage, change the narrative on a region defined by conflict, and provide artisans the opportunity to make an honest living.
WHAT WE DO
We CURATE and deliver organic, luxury, handmade products, by scouring the globe, in search of master craftsman impacted by conflict or forced displacement. Our artisan partners expand from Syria and Lebanon. We HONOR and nurture the sustainability of these products by preserving a heritage, while redefining them in a contemporary voice. We CONNECT you to the artisan and their work, by telling their story, so you know where your product is coming from and how it was crafted.
“We do not refer to our makers as refugees, they are our partners. Syrian artisans and their families, do not wish to be defined by displacement or ten years of war, but rather by their craftsmanship and preservation of a cultural heritage.”
- Mint + Laurel
who we are
COFOUNDERS
RAMA CHAKAKI (L) AND KINDA HIBRAWI (R)
KINDA HIBRAWI SYRIAN-AMERICAN FROM ALEPPO, an internationally renowned painter and creative director with branding and marketing skills in the non-profit sector. Her artwork has been exhibited both internationally and nationally to sold out shows in the U.S. She has over a decade of experience in creative design, product development, advocacy and outreach, she has worked on various projects with the U.S. State Department, UNRWA, UNICEF as well as national organizations. The United Nations named her a 2012 Global Thinker and Influencer at the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development. Kinda holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University of Fullerton.
RAMA CHAKAKI SYRIAN-AMERICAN FROM HAMA and DAMASCUS, applies 25 years of technical and communications experience to her passion: social development for Arab youth. She runs the VIP.fund, a venture philanthropy fund investing in youth programs and technology startups. Currently, Rama serves on the board of the Syrian International Business Association. She’s a founding member of Arab Women in Computing and the first regional Women Angel investment Network (WAIN) and also served on the board of TechWadi, PCRF, PACES, The Impact HUB – UAE , Challenge to Change and Nakhweh. In addition to a certificate in Designing for Social Systems from Stanford University, Rama holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s in Engineering Management from George Washington University.