11 Zero Waste Tea Companies Brewing Plastic Free Cuppas
Sip sip hooray for zero waste tea!
Beyond the environmental plastic waste, plastic tea bags release billions of microplastics into our tea no less.
Yuck.
Now that the cat’s been let out of the (tea) bag on this and other issues—such as responsible tea leaf sourcing—you, like us, are probably seeking out more ethical and, dare we say it, zero waste ways to drink tea.
Thankfully, there are brands committed to serving up sustainabili-tea with each piping hot (or iced) cuppa.
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The Most Tea-riffic Zero Waste Tea Brands
Bird & Blend Tea Co. handcrafts its zero waste loose leaf tea in small batches.
Numi’s zero waste tea bags carry all the flavor and convenience of typical tea bags through USDA-certified organic ingredients and home compostable tea bags.
For loose leaf tea in home compostable packaging (that also happens to be made using solar power), grow your palate with Arbor Teas.
Pop the eco kettle on, grab your sustainable milk, and while the tea’s brewing, head to the end of the article to find out how we chose the best zero waste tea brands.
The Full List Of Brands Making Zero Waste Tea Leaves, Bags & Packaging
1. Bird & Blend Tea Co.
About Bird & Blend Tea Co.
UK-based Bird & Blend Tea Co. is on a mission “to spread happiness & reimagine tea”.
They’re tea blend experts, regularly creating new zero waste tea blends and hosting “tea mixology” workshops.
Bird & Blend Tea Co.’s Zero Waste Tea Blends
Choose from over 100 different blends of zero waste loose leaf tea.
In addition to all your favorite classics, they always have something unique on offer, like Blueberry Pancake tea.
Are you a “Thrillseeker” or a “Traditionalist”?
No matter.
You can search their teas by mood as well as by type. Or join their monthly tea tasting club to explore a range of flavors.
Almost all blends are vegan, though few contain ethically sourced local honey or bee pollen and this is clearly listed.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
Certified B Corp Bird & Blend pay above the Fairtrade base rate for their tea and work to ensure full traceability of all ingredients.
Their blends are hand-crafted in small batches and packed in a local warehouse.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
The zero waste tea packaging is 100% compostable and plastic free. The reusable tins are manufactured in the UK using solar power.
In addition to zero waste loose leaf teas, their most popular blends are also available in compostable zero waste tea bags.
The takeaway cups they use in-store are plant-based with a tree planted for each one sold. Better still, bring your own cup and receive a 50p discount.
Bird & Blend is carbon neutral, purchasing carbon offsets via Ecologi.
They support a different charity each quarter and take part in volunteering events.
Available: Bird & Blend Tea Co.
2. Numi Tea
About Numi Tea
California-based, B Corp Numi is on a mission to “create lasting positive change” with its range of certified organic and ethically sourced teas.
Founded by brother and sister Ahmed Rahim and Reem Hassani, Numi means “citrus” in Arabic and refers to the dried desert lime tea they drank during their early childhood in Baghdad.
Numi Tea’s Compostable & Biodegradable Tea Bags
Numi offers over 40 zero waste tea blends including black teas, green teas, herbal teas, Pu·erh teas, and Flowering Teas™.
The hand-picked, full-leaf teas and herbs are blended with 100% real fruits, flowers, and spices.
All are USDA-certified organic and Non-GMO Verified.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
Numi supports farmers who use regenerative tea growing practices and visits the farms regularly.
All of their zero waste tea leaves are Fair Trade Certified as well as Verified Fair Labor, a certification that Numi helped develop to ensure safe working conditions.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
The fully home compostable zero waste tea bags are made from unbleached manila hemp cellulose with recycled, soy ink-printed tags and cotton strings.
The tea bag wrappers are industrially compostable. They are made from FSC® certified paper, with a sugarcane-based lining and metalized eucalyptus layers.
Numi is Climate Neutral Certified and the Numi Foundation supports communities both locally and overseas with programs including emergency food relief and clean water.
3. Woodland Herbal
About Woodland Herbal
Ohio-based Woodland Herbal is a small, family-run business specializing in handcrafted herbal remedies, natural body care, and wellness products.
With four generations of herbalists in the family, they know a thing or two about creating quality products from nature’s bounty.
Woodland Herbal’s Waste Free Tea
Each zero waste loose leaf tea is crafted with medicinal herbs and formulated for a specific purpose.
For example, their Sunshine Tea supports a positive mood while Chill Out helps reduce stress and anxiety.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
Products are handmade to order in Ohio using ingredients purchased from reputable, certified organic botanicals suppliers.
All products are natural, chemical-free, and cruelty-free.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
Most of the reusable tins they use as zero waste packaging for loose leaf tea are made in the USA.
For every item sold, Woodland Herbal plants 100 wildflower seeds on an acre of land they’re turning into a garden for pollinators.
Available: Etsy
4. The Tea Spot
About The Tea Spot
Woman-owned zero waste tea company The Tea Spot is on a mission to “create a tea company as a force for good”.
They also aim “to modernize the loose-leaf tea experience” with their range of patented teaware that provides zero waste ways to drink tea both at home and on the move.
Check out the stainless steel tea tumblers for your next zero waste travel adventure.
The Teas Spot’s Zero Waste Tea Leaves
The Tea Spot offers both loose leaf tea and pyramid-shaped zero waste tea bags filled with full-leaf teas from their collection.
Search their tea by type, flavor, or function (adaptogens, detox, digestion, sleep, sore throat, stress, and more).
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
Sourcing is motivated by a desire to support regenerative agriculture, meaning they source regeneratively whenever possible.
All tea is blended and packaged in small batches in Colorado.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
The zero waste tea bags are made from a certified non–GMO sugar cane-based material that is 100% biodegradable, compostable, and plastic free.
The Tea Spot is a Colorado-based Public Benefit Corporation and a Certified B Corp, recognized in the top 5% of all B Corps as “Best for the Community.”
10% of all profits are donated to wellness projects around the globe.
They have also teamed up with charity: water, which receives all profit from the sales of their co-branded stainless steel tea tumbler.
Available: The Tea Spot
5. Glass Wing Organic
About Glass Wing Organic
Texas-based Glass Wing Organic offers natural skincare, haircare, and wellness products.
Their range includes natural body butters, oils, scrubs, zero waste herbal tea, and more.
Glass Wing Organic’s Zero Waste Loose Leaf Tea
Glass Wing Organic’s zero waste tea leaves are formulated into various functional blends to support anemia, anxiety, fibroids, PMS, detox, hyperthyroid, weight loss, and more.
Each one is made with wildcrafted herbs, flowers, and other natural ingredients.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
The zero waste herbal tea blends are handcrafted in small batches by Etsy shop owner Jennifer Kelman.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
Glass Wing Organic’s zero waste loose leaf tea comes in reusable glass jars.
All orders shipped through Etsy are 100% carbon neutral.
Available: Etsy
6. Rare Tea Company
About Rare Tea Company
Don’t mistake rarity for the usual issues it brings in regard to unethical sourcing.
UK-based Rare Tea Company has one simple aim: “to source and supply the world’s best loose leaf tea, directly from farmers and their tea gardens.”
For maximum sustainability as well as taste, they only offer zero waste loose leaf tea blends that come in colorful, reusable tins.
Rare Tea Company’s Zero Waste Herbal Tea
Rare Tea Company’s selection of sipping options is vast, varied, and vibrant.
You can search by type (black, white, green, oolong, pu’er tea, etc), style (blend, single estate, hand rolled, smoked, cold infusion, and good with milk), and country of origin.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
This zero waste tea company works closely with tea farmers to build long-term relationships and financial security.
The small-scale producers follow organic principles but don’t necessarily have the means to become organically certified.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
Shipping boxes are recyclable and filled with equally recycled packing materials.
Company founder Henrietta Lovell set up the Rare Charity to donate a percentage of revenue directly back to the tea communities. The charity currently funds educational scholarships in Malawi.
Available: Rare Tea Company
7. Arbor Teas
About Arbor Teas
Michigan’s Arbor Teas aims to “find the world’s most fantastic organic teas and deliver them to you as sustainably as possible.”
They aim to be socially and environmentally responsible at every level from “crop to cup”—including their choice of zero waste packaging for loose leaf tea.
Arbor Teas’ Zero Waste Tea Blends
Arbor Teas offers a huge selection of certified organic loose leaf teas including black, green, white, oolong, pu-erh, rooibos, herbal, decaf, and iced.
Every tea and herb is USDA-certified organic and Arbor Teas is also certified by the Global Organic Alliance.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
When possible herbs are sourced from the USA, as close to home as possible.
Many of their teas are Fair Trade certified and you can read details about their partner Fair Trade tea gardens.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
The zero waste tea packaging is home compostable. It’s made from sustainably sourced wood pulp-derived cellulose with sugarcane-based paper labels and a compostable adhesive.
Arbor Teas has a solar-powered packaging facility and is a gold member of Green America’s Green Business Network.
Overseas teas and herbs are shipped via sea freight and they’ve partnered with the carbon offset program Carbon Fund to offset emissions.
Available: Arbor Teas
8. Yogi Tea®
About YOGI TEA®
Certified B Corp Yogi Tea® has one focus: “fostering global well-being”.
Aside from providing healthy and supportive tea blends, they support several sustainability projects and initiatives around the world.
You’ll find a little nugget of yogic wisdom printed on each tea bag label to help you mindfully enjoy your day and a yoga exercise.
Yogi Tea®’s Low Waste Tea
Yogi Tea® offers a range of Ayurvedic herbs and spice tea blends for different wellness benefits including detox, digestion, energy, immune support, sleep, stress relief, and more.
All ingredients are certified according to the EU Organic Regulation (EC) 834/2007.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
The organic rooibos leaves used in some blends are Rainforest Alliance Certified™ for sustainable sourcing.
The brand is a member of the Ethical Tea Partnership (ETP) and the Sustainable Spices Initiative.
Production is based in Northern Italy in a factory powered by renewable energy.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
The Manila hemp tea bags are 100% compostable, down to the organic cotton string and an FSC®-certified paper label.
The low waste tea bag envelopes are also made of FSC®-certified paper but do contain a small amount of plastic as a heat-seal coating. Yogi Tea® is seeking a plant-based alternative and aims to be plastic free by 2025 at the latest.
The tea bag box is made from FSC®-certified paper and the brand is a member of the GoodShipping sustainable shipping initiative.
The Yogi Tea® Foundation supports several local and global projects including orphanages in Nepal and India, reforestation in Madagascar, and the German Wildlife Foundation.
9. T2
About T2
Certified B Corp T2 began life as a tiny shop in Melbourne and is now a global tea company with stores across the world.
They’re all about sourcing the highest quality tea and making it accessible with as little waste as possible via a range of reusable accessories and gadgets for tea lovers.
T2’s Zero Waste Tea Packets and Leaves
T2 sells both loose leaf tea and tea bags, each one tested for 450 compounds and residues.
Choose from all the classics, like black, green, matcha, chai, herbal, fruit oolong, and more.
They also sell limited edition tea blends such as Mulled Wine Magic and Sleepy Hemp.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
T2’s tea is sustainably sourced and the factories producing the teaware are regularly audited following SMETA or BSCI standards.
Women hold 75% of senior positions in the company and make up more than three-quarters of their worldwide workforce.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
The low waste tea bags are industrially compostable and made from Polylactic Acid (PLA) with a paper tag.
For outer packaging, they use recyclable cubes, black foil (recyclable in Australia via REDcycle), or delightfully colorful reusable tins.
Paper retail bags are 100% recyclable and in-store gift wrap and tissue paper are recycled and recyclable apart from the stickers.
T2 has partnered with Qantas Future Planet to carbon offset missions.
Available: T2
10. Pukka Herbs
About Pukka Herbs
Pukka means “real, authentic, or genuine” in Hindi.
No wonder B Corp Certified Pukka Herbs offers a range of all-organic teas and supplements designed to “nurture healthier, happier lives through powerful organic plants”.
Pukka Herbs’ Low Waste Tea
Each zero waste herbal tea is made from organic practitioner-grade herbs.
The specially designed blends include Cleanse, Feel New, Joy, Love, Peace, Night Time, Radiance, Revitalise, and more.
Or buy a selection box if you want to try them all.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
Pukka has long-term partnerships with organic growers in over 20 different countries.
Their amassed certifications include Soil Association Organic, Fair for Life, and Fair Wild (a fair trade system for wild-harvested plants).
The low waste tea brand is 100% cruelty free and cosmetic products are certified by Leaping Bunny.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
Made from a blend of abaca, wood pulp, and plant cellulose, Pukka’s zero waste tea bags are plastic free and home compostable.
The tea bag envelopes, whilst recyclable, still contain a small amount of plastic for the recyclable barrier.
Currently, 98% of Pukka’s packaging is widely recyclable in the UK and they aim to use 100% plant-based or circular packaging by 2025.
They’re currently carbon neutral but aim to become carbon net zero by 2030.
As members of 1% for the Planet, they support a number of eco-minded nonprofits such as TreeSisters.
Available: iHerb
11. Loose Leaf Tea Market
About Loose Leaf Tea Market
Loose Leaf Tea Market was founded by herbalist Kita Centella.
After the power of plants helped Kita heal from a difficult past, she wanted to make organic wellness teas easily accessible to everyone.
The Phoenix based zero waste tea store is the brand’s hub and attracts some tea-loving celebs like Bette Midler and Uma Thurman.
Loose Leaf Tea Market’s Waste Free Tea
The brand handcrafts over 30 loose leaf zero waste tea blends using 95% certified organic ingredients.
Whether you need a cup of Daily Calm to soothe and relax, some Sniffles Tea for allergy relief, or some Campfire Chai for gut health and energy, there’s a blend for all kinds of wellness support.
Each label lets you know whether the caffeine level is none, low, medium, or high.
Each ingredient is third-party tested to ensure it is free of additives, heavy metals, and artificial preservatives.
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain
All teas are handcrafted in small batches at the Phoenix store.
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving
Their zero waste tea packaging consists of compostable paperboard tubes—though they’re also durable enough to be reused.
A portion of the proceeds from every sale goes to the House of Dawn, a non-profit that provides a range of services for young mothers.
Available: Loose Leaf Tea Market
12. Zero Waste Tea Infusers And Strainers
Switching to loose leaf tea for the first time?
You’ll need to grab yourself a zero waste tea strainer or infuser to handle those tea leaves.
For effortless brewing, Bird & Blend Tea Co’s reusable tea infuser fits most sized cups and mugs. It’s perfect if you’re just making tea for yourself and the lid acts as a handy saucer to put your used infuser on.
The Tea Spot’s Steepware® includes various mug and integrated wattle bottle infusers.
T2 offers mesh ball-style tea infusers, glass bottle infusers, and, if you prefer to brew in a pot, they have a leaf-shaped strainer made of stainless steel with a silicon handle.
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How We Found The Best Zero Waste Tea Brands
So, how did we find the best zero waste tea brands?
The Tea Itself:
Hands down, zero waste loose leaf tea is the most environmentally friendly, eliminating the single-use materials and manufacturing processes involved in making tea bags.
They also don’t rely on you having an indoor compost bin to properly get rid of your biodegradable tea bag—though you can compost the leaves themselves!
Because you can re-steep the leaves, it’s good for your sustainable wallet, too.
If a brand sells tea bags, they need to be compostable tea bags, which also means free from the bleaches, glues, microplastics, and those pesky tag staples.
For either form, we look for organically grown tea and herbs (which may or may not be certified depending on the size of the tea producer.)
- Certifications: USDA Organic, Global Organic Alliance
Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain Practices:
We looked for zero waste tea companies that care about people at all levels of the supply chain.
We also like seeing transparent sourcing policies, especially those that show ingredients coming from sustainable food systems and eco friendly methods of harvesting.
For waste free green tea without greenwashing, third-party certifiers and membership initiatives like the Ethical Tea Partnership show that ethical sourcing is a priority.
- Certifications: Certified B Corp, BSCI, Fair Trade, Fair for Life, Fair Wild, Soil Association Organic, Rainforest Alliance, SMETA, Fair Labor Association
Green Business Practices and Charitable Giving:
Tea aside, when it comes to a pro-planet cuppa, zero waste tea packaging is a major consideration.
Reusable tin canisters, recycled and recyclable cardboard boxes, and compostable zero waste tea packets hit the right notes.
Some brands are still using a small amount of plastic in their heat-sealable tea bag envelopes but are actively seeking compostable alternatives.
Climate Neutral Certified companies are our cup of tea and if they’re a brand that gives back, well, that makes that cup of spiced chai extra warming.
Final Thoughts On Low & No Waste Tea Brands
A cup of organically grown, zero waste tea is a brew-tea-ful thing, for people and the planet.
With billions of cups of tea drunk every day, imagine the impact it would make if everyone switched to more sustainable tea drinking habits.
While the most waste free tea is the one you can buy at your local zero waste store, decanted into your own reusable container, the next best cuppa comes from one of these zero waste tea brands.
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Forward this list of the best zero waste tea brands and help them steep responsibly.
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