7th August 2023
PACKAGING OUR TEA SUSTAINABLY
Our packaging is for the most part designed with reusability in mind, such as our ziplock bags, refillable tea caddies, and magnetic labels.
Try our Beigang Maojian in our One Cup Teaiere.
Packaging is quite rightly a hot topic, and choosing how we package our tea remains a thrilling challenge for our sustainability and innovation team. We are bound by a carefully considered balance of protecting the quality of our tea leaves whilst ensuring our packaging has minimal environmental impact.
Guided by packaging experts we have created a roadmap whereby we consider the impact of our packaging from a full lifecycle approach; this means looking at where the materials come from, right through to how likely they are to be recycled or composted in their given location. We won’t be swayed by buzz words or green claims that are unsubstantiated. Waste management infrastructure and policy varies so widely geographically, so we also carefully research the infrastructure in the countries our teas are most widely distributed in.
Our highest priority is encouraging the switch to loose leaf tea, made easy with our Loose Leaf Starter Kits.
Fixation – The withered leaves are rolled then gently heated. This step halts the oxidation process, preserving the tea's natural flavours and preventing excessive enzymatic activity
Why are Yellow Teas so Rare?
Yellow teas are so rare because they’re difficult to make. Many producers prefer not to risk it, instead prioritising the more popular green tea style. When they’re made well though yellow teas offer a bright mellow character unlike any other tea type.
MenHuang - The heated leaves are wrapped in special cloths or paper to allow for slight oxidation and fermentation. This is a critical step that gives yellow tea its distinctive character and yellow colour
Buying loose leaf helps reduce packaging altogether
WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?
Reduce: Choose Loose
Our primary focus is on reduction in packaging. An integral part of our approach is empowering and enabling our customers to choose loose leaf tea over tea bags wherever possible. Loose leaf tea not only delivers the best drinking experience but uses less packaging and reduces waste. That’s why 100% of our teas are available as loose leaf and we give customers the tips and tools to enable the easy switch.
Invest & Test
Although the jury is still out on whether bioplastic compostable packaging is genuinely better for the environment than an easily recyclable traditional plastic, we’re investing in trialling biodegradable packaging options. We have materials currently in test phase and are guided by industry experts, such as WRAP , a leading climate action NGO in the UK, on compostable plastic packaging.
Mr Wang's tea bushes are between 6-8 years old and grown without the use of pesticides
How to handle our packaging?
All of our tea bags are made from plant-based material, and are biodegradable in industrial composters.
Compost: Teabags
Our whole leaf tea bags have always been free from traditional oil-based plastic. They are made of a plant-based material PLA. PLA is biodegradable in industrial composters, so just pop your used teabags in your council food waste bin.
Recycle: Packs
Our loose leaf & unenveloped tea bag pouches are recyclable in the soft plastics recycling waste stream. In the UK, some councils collect this roadside, but many don’t, so we recommend taking empty packs to your local soft plastics recycling points. These are usually found at large supermarkets, to find out where your closest soft plastics recycling point is put your postcode in here .
The future
We will continue to trial novel packaging materials, and work with experts to understand the full lifecycle impact of each. We won’t make a switch until we are confident that a new material is truly better for the environment and can protect our tea quality sufficiently. We are committed to championing behaviour change, to get as many people as possible enjoying the many benefits of a great cup of loose leaf tea.
Only the freshest and tenderest buds are picked in March prior to the local Qingming festival
The vital stats
Origin: Yuyeang City, Hunan province
Cultivar: Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
Name: Beigang Maojian
Style: Wang has taken a local cultivar similar to our Baojing Gold and yellowed the fresh spring leaves in the traditional way
Picking Season: Spring 2023
Leaf: Dark olive twists of leaf with silvery-grey tips
Production: Made Without Pesticides
Infusion: Yellow-green
Our Beijgang Maojian's dry leaf is dark olive whole leaf twists with silvery-grey tips
Drying – After the desired oxidation level is achieved, the leaves are carefully dried to remove any remaining moisture. This helps stabilize the tea and prepares it for packaging and storage
The flavour profile ?
Packs a bright punch, a thick, syrupy infusion with the prized barley sugar flavours of candied lemon and a sherbert tang.
The Right Time to Drink it
Given its light body sweetness and umami finish, it makes a refreshing afternoon pick-me-up.
The Best Way to Enjoy it
Single Serve, One Cup Method using 250ml teapot and cup:
Firstly, heat your teapot before you add the leaves – as this is a highly aromatic tea, it’s worth doing this. All you need to do is fill the pot with hot water, swirl it around briefly, and then discard it. When you add your leaves, the heat will activate them and you’ll get a good blast of the tea’s aromas.
An undiscovered yellow tea that Wang has revived for the modern world. It's a great introduction to this mellow, complex and rewarding tea category.
Drying – After the desired oxidation level is achieved, the leaves are carefully dried to remove any remaining moisture. This helps stabilize the tea and prepares it for packaging and storage
For a single serve, use 4g (or 3tsp) of tea for 250ml.
Much like their green tea cousins, yellow teas also appreciate a cooler water temperature. The easiest way to do this is add about 20% cool water to the leaves first, and then top up the rest with freshly boiled water to level out the heat.
Infuse for three minutes, and, as always, pour out the whole infusion into a good mug or glass. Since it's been made cool, you’ll be able to drink it immediately, take a moment to notice the flavours changing as your infusions cools even further.
This is our go-to method: 4g/2tsp per 250ml; 80˚C; 3 minutes per infusion.
Mr Wang and Tom admire the view of the tea garden - the rain is welcomed after a long drought in Hunan
Who is it for?
With it’s authentic barley sugar flavour, this is a great introduction for anyone wishing to get a handle on this mellow, complex and rewarding tea category. It’s also a welcome alternative if you find green tea too grassy, but you’re still after something refreshing and light.
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