Packaging & Environment

We have so much love for our environment and therefore we want to do our bit in protecting our planet. Proper disposal of our packaging is crucial in helping the environment, and I believe it is my responsibility to ensure you understand how to dispose of our products in the correct manner.

We have three product ranges: tea bags, individually wrapped tea bags, and loose leaf tea. Each with various packaging components… So let’s get to it!

Tea Bags

Our tea bags are made from a material derived from non-GMO sugarcane which can break down when commercially composted. We ask that you dispose of these in your food waste bin. The string and tag are not fixed with glue but with ultrasound so can both be composted too.

However, I know some don't have access to food waste bins and in this case, I would suggest you look at using our loose leaf tea instead. You may lose out on the convenience of a tea bag but you still get to enjoy a good cup of tea without any plastic issues.

The outer clear wrapper is also compostable and is made from a clever material called Natureflex. It is a clear film made primarily from cellulose derived from wood pulp and can also be disposed of in your food waste.

For our tea bag range, we package 15 tea bags in a clear Natureflex bag which is then packed according to how it is ordered: tubes of 15 tea bags or in larger sizes of 60 (4 bags of 15) and 300 (20 bags of 15). 

Individually Wrapped Tea Bags

The outer wrap of our individually wrapped tea bags are made from paper. Simple and efficient. We want to make it as easy as possible for you. Once opened, just pop the outer wrapper into your recycling bin and the tea bag can go into your food waste bin to be composted.

Loose Leaf Tea

We pack these in cardboard tubes, typically 100 gram quantities, or in larger quantities in boxes of typically 300 grams, or bags of 500 grams. The outer wrapper that goes inside the 100 gram tubes is made from Natureflex as described above and can be either commercially or home composted.

The boxes consist of 3 x 100g Natureflex bags, but this weight can vary depending on the type of tea. The boxes are recyclable and the bags can be disposed of in your home compost.

Our larger 500 gram bags posed a challenge as common stand-up pouches have non-recyclable plastic liners and will end up in landfill, even those with paper kraft exteriors.

For these bags, we have opted for a paper composite with a compostable Natureflex liner. Unlike common options, this entire package can be commercially composted with food waste. Just remember to peel off the front label as this is for recycling.

For customers buying loose tea online without access to food waste collection, we have an alternative option. For online customers, we can transfer the tea into paper bags for shipping. While this isn’t ideal for long-term storage, it is suitable for the time it takes to deliver. Upon arrival, you can transfer it to your own container and recycle the paper bag.

If this is something you’d like, then please leave us a note when you place your order asking for the tea to be placed into a paper bag instead.

Boxes and tubes

The tubes are simply recyclable card with tin lids. It also has a food grade recyclable liner so you can use it to store the tea once it’s opened.

Our outer packaging is simply cardboard boxes, either FSC-certified or reused whenever feasible. Reusing boxes is our preferred method of recycling, which might explain why your parcel may appear used, as it often has been. I encourage you to adopt the same practice.

If you would like to discuss this or have any questions then please get in touch. You can contact me on my emails at john@shibui-tea.co.uk.