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Compostable Packaging

Welcome to a guided tour of Arbor Teas packaging! Composed of a cellulose film made from wood pulp sourced from sustainably managed trees, Arbor Teas' packaging can actually break down in a backyard compost setting. After your guided tour, check out our how-to guides for a step by step guide on how to use our packaging.

  • Front
    Front
     This backyard compostable packaging is composed of cellulose film made from wood pulp sourced from sustainably managed trees.
  • Organic logo
  • Back
    Back
     Description of organic certifier, Global Organic Alliance, and backyard compostable packaging.
  • Front of tag
    Front of tag
     Identifying features: name of tea, logo indicating if tea is Fair Trade Certified, type of tea (black, green, etc), weight of tea in ounces stamped in red.
  • Back of tag
    Back of tag
     Identifying features: ingredient list, suggested serving size per 8 oz cup, organic lot number stamped in red.
  • Left Side
    Left Side
     Our mission to remain organic to a tea™
  • Right Side
    Right Side
     Steeping guide and brewing suggestions
  • Storage
    Storage
     After you open your tea package, we recommend transferring your tea to an airtight, opaque storage container. Don't leave the tag behind! Remove your tag and stretch the elastic band around your storage container.


The Specifics of Arbor Teas Packaging

On Earth Day 2010, Arbor Teas became the FIRST tea company in the United States to deliver a full line of organic loose teas in backyard compostable packaging! With the release of this next-generation packaging, we at Arbor Teas advanced our environmental mission, continuing to lead the tea industry through our staunch commitment to sustainable business practices. For the first time ever, tea drinkers are now able to compost their tea leaves AND tea packaging together in their home composting system!


Our exciting new packaging is composed of a cellulose film made from wood pulp sourced from sustainably managed trees. Most of the compostable packaging available in today’s marketplace is only truly compostable in industrial settings optimized for rapid breakdown. By contrast, the film used for Arbor Teas’ new packaging can actually break down in a backyard compost setting.


Because of greater variation in moisture and temperature, backyard composting environments have historically been incapable of breaking down so-called “compostable” packaging materials, such as corn-based plastic cups and take-out containers. However, the material in Arbor Teas’ new packages requires a less optimized environment for biodegradation, representing a major advance in low-impact packaging.


The film is certified to both the European (EN13432) and American (ASTM D6400) standards for compostable packaging, and has been submitted to an additional independent test protocol (Miti Test ISO14851) confirming its biodegradation at ambient temperatures and in aqueous environments, relevant for home composting in bins or compost heaps.


Not only are our new packages compostable, they’re also lighter than their predecessors. Overall, our latest shift in packaging materials reduced the weight of Arbor Teas’ packaging by more than 60%! This translates to a meaningful reduction in the carbon footprint of Arbor Teas’ operations. And, in response to customer requests, the new packaging accommodates more tea than ever before. On average, Arbor Teas packages contain 27% more tea than they did previously. The result: MORE TEA, LESS PACKAGING!