Carmien Tea Goes Green

Consumer habits are under intense scrutiny

and nothing seems safe anymore, not even the good old teabag.

Plastics are the hot topic of the day. Microplastics, to be more specific. So hot that we took a long hard look at our own manufacturing and materials because, as always, we strive to bring our customers not just the best tasting cup of tea, but also a healthy cup (and that starts with a teabag).

Our goodness seals promise our workforce and our customers, earth-friendly, safe farming methods and a commitment to their well-being and health. After much testing and research our products are becoming increasingly ‘green’. Our factory also packs Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Fairtrade certified tea, hence our strong focus on environmentally friendly packaging.

So where do we stand? All Carmién square pillow teabags have been changed to compostable. This means the same high performance, but with special focus on reducing the environmental impact at the end of life. Our current inventory of pyramid teabags are still nylon but our 2020 production runs coming off line, are made of PLA compostable material. And so the humble teabag remains a great source comfort in our daily lives. We have also added a reusable double walled travel cup to our popular glass tea ware range. Every small step helps.

All our outer packaging (recyclable) is now FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, which is in line with our policy to practise safe farming methods. This means that for every tree used to provide paper, a new one will be planted. In addition, our printing inks comply with environmental protection and consist of materials that are derived from renewable raw materials. Our glues used are non- toxic, non-flammable (wet state) and suitable for indirect food contact.

Change takes time, comes at great cost, and is more a process of evolving rather than a quick fix. Every small change confirms our commitment to a better, more healthy product and environmental impact.