Here at Steepwell Tea Company, preserving our beautiful planet is mission number one. We believe it’s our responsibility to care for mother nature and our company is demonstrating this mindset by using 100% biodegradable and compostable packaging and labels. That’s right, even the stickers on the package are completely biodegradable. We use a thermal printer to create those labels to ensure we are minimizing our footprint as well as preventing toxic inks from entering the soil.

You may be wondering – “But why is biodegradable packaging important?”

In short – most tea comes in some form of plastic and plastic is BAD. It damages ecosystems. Plastic has been used for decades as a useful medium to keep water and moisture off of things that need to be kept dry. While it’s useful in that sense, plastic takes thousands of years to biodegrade. As it’s decomposing, it disperses harmful toxins into the soil or water supplies which can be ingested by humans and animals. Now, here is the good news…we don’t need to use plastic anymore! Biodegradable supplies have come a long way in the last decade and this enables us to deliver our tea in a high quality package that’s good for the environment. If left in nature, our packaging will biodegrade in about 1 year. Not only is this great from a waste perspective, but by using biodegradable packaging our carbon footprint is also lowered. It takes less energy to make these packages. Tackling climate change will be a collective effort, but we like to be the change we want to see in the world. Here at Steepwell we don’t just talk about good ideas, we execute them. By purchasing Steepwell tea, you’re promoting a company that puts a concerted effort into minimizing our footprint.

Another effort we push forward with is using teabags that are biodegradable as well. If it’s not Steepwell tea, the small bags in your morning cuppa may not be biodegradable. Many competitor’s teabags are bleached and contain a strip of heat resistant polypropylene plastic. If your teabag is bleached, it’s possible you could be ingesting the toxins that bleach can seep into tea. Further, we just don’t see the point in using a teabag that has heat resistant plastic on it if it’s not necessary. Let’s get back to basics and concentrate on products that don’t contain harmful compounds for humans or the environment.

Steepwell Tea Co. will always put the planet first.

Below is an excerpt describing the packaging we use…

“Our bags have a silver metalized lining that is fully compostable.”

“Superior strength, vacuum sealable, freezer-safe and excellent oxygen and moisture barrier! This pouch is produced exclusively from certified compostable raw materials. The entire bag construction is pending compost testing and certification. The bags do not contain any bisphenol (including BPA and other derivatives). Free of phthalates and FDA-approved for food contact.“

“These compostable bags/pouches may be used as described above under FDA’s Conditions of Use C (Hot filled or pasteurized above 150F) through G (Frozen storage (no thermal treatment in the container)) in contact with all types of food except infant formula, breast milk, or alcoholic foods.“

“The compounds and films used to produce the bags comply with both American and European compost standards (EU 13432 and ASTM D6400) and are certified for both home and industrial composting. The bags materials also meet food contact regulation requirements in both America and Europe.“