Our teas are ethically sourced from suppliers that prioritize fairness, sustainability, and respect for people and the planet throughout our supply chain. Our teas are imported from trusted farms in China, India, Japan, South Africa, that focus on freshness and safety.
In recent years, there has been a surge in claims and certifications regarding the foods we consume. Tealeavz does not aim to influence or judge your choices about what you consume. Instead, we focus on presenting straightforward facts about these matters, providing you with a deeper insight so you can make the best decision for yourself.
What defines a product as organic?
According to the USDA, organic foods are those "produced without the use of most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation."
Put simply, organic foods are required to be cultivated with minimal use of chemicals. Furthermore, the soil in which these products are grown must also be devoid of such chemicals. To achieve this, farmers need to leave their fields fallow (unused) until they meet the necessary standards. However, many farmers in tea-producing areas lack the financial means to forgo income from their fields for extended periods. Consequently, the majority of tea produced globally does not receive "organic" certification due to these economic constraints.
Although "organic" carries genuine significance and ecological benefits, it does not primarily emphasize the tea's quality and lacks assurances. Organic Certification regulates the inputs and procedures, aiming to safeguard the environment, but it does not include any testing or verification post-production to ensure compliance with the guidelines. Since there are no quality benchmarks for the end product, organic certification does not ensure the absence of environmental pollutants or contaminants during processing or packaging. Therefore, it is crucial to purchase from growers, distributors, and retailers you trust, irrespective of the certification status!
Achieving "certified" organic status is a rather intricate process. There are numerous agencies worldwide that certify products as organic, each with its own set of standards. Some certifications are recognized in certain countries but not in others. For instance, products deemed organic by the European organic association might not meet the USDA's organic criteria. These complexities arise from political factors as well as health considerations. It's understandable to be wary of a tea company displaying a foreign "organic" label. However, there is no substantial scientific evidence indicating that consuming non-organic tea poses any danger. More crucially, due to the bureaucratic intricacies of certification and the typically small scale of premium tea producers, many teas that could qualify as organic never receive formal certification.
Tealeavz does not currently carry any certified organic teas. While some ingredients may be organic, the majority of our selection is conventionally grown, with a focus on flavor, aroma, and quality.
There are a few products that mention the use of organic rooibos in their blends, but these are not officially certified organic teas.
Tealeavz is committed to supporting organic farmers and environmental standards that exceed basic FDA guidelines, and you may see more organic options listed in the future. For now, if a tea is organic, it will be specifically labeled as such in the product description.