ethics and sustainability
do your tea temples contain plastic?
No. And they never have. Our tea temples and the string attached are made from corn starch, a natural carbohydrate extracted from corn. The label on the end of the string is made from simple, old-fashioned paper. As a result, our tea temples are biodegradable. We don’t, however, recommend that you attempt to compost them in your garden.
I have a corn allergy - does this mean I can't drink teapigs?
While the material for our tea temples is derived from corn starch, the intense process it goes through means that it’s highly unlikely any traces of corn is left within our products. However we can't guarantee that all traces have been removed so recommend talking to your doctor about your allergy before you decide to drink teapigs. Alternatively take a look at our loose leaf teas here.
why can’t I compost your temples in my garden?
Not all compostable materials are suitable for composting at home. Bio-plastics (compostable alternatives to conventional plastic packaging like our tea temples) are fully plant-derived and fully compostable but they require a higher level of heat, water, oxygen and micro-organisms to fully break down than what your home compost can cover. That’s why we say to pop them in your food waste bin for industrial composting, where they will be broken down within 12 weeks.
will the tea temple/natureflex fully breakdown?
Both our tea temple and our NatureFlex bag are EN13432 certified. This means that at least 90% of the material will break down into water, CO2, inorganics and biomass in 6 months at a temperature of 58 degrees c (ie under industrial composting conditions).
what are our cartons made from? What is FSC packaging?
The outer cartons of our 15s, 50s, and matcha tins are made from FSC certified paper. FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council. They are an incredible organisation who only source wood for production from forests that are sustainably managed. By using their packaging paper, we know that the forests it comes from will be protected and conserved for generations to come.
What’s more, the ink we use to print on our cartons is vegetable-based, so you’re covered on all fronts. Just don’t try to eat it.
To find out more about the fantastic work the FSC does in helping to preserve woodland worldwide, check out their website here.
what is Natureflex?
The clear inner bag that keeps your tea temples fresh is made from a wonder-material called Natureflex. The geniuses at Futamura (not the TV show) have figured out how to convert renewable wood pulp into airtight packaging, which means that the clear inner bag which keeps your delicious tea fresh is both biodegradable and compostable! Again, as with our tea temples, it will take a while for them to degrade in your garden, so we suggest popping them in with your food waste to be processed by your council.
To find out more about Natureflex, check out Futurama’s website here.
are teapigs tea organic?
We select our teas based on taste and quality. If we can find an organic tea that matches our quality standards, then we will use that tea. To maintain these standards, we have to source teas from various growers. Sometimes the teas may be organic, sometimes not.
are teapigs tea fairtrade?
The best quality teas aren't necessarily Fairtrade. We pay a premium price for our teas, sourced from quality estates which have a sustainable business model. In addition we are working towards achieving 100% Rainforest Alliance accreditation for english breakfast (everyday brew), and we have our own ethical scheme of which we are very proud.