Packaging & Recycling

Reduce, reuse, recycle.

We put a lot of emphasis on where our herbs come from—making sure they’re of high quality and sustainably produced—but we also think about what goes on closer to home. There are a number of reduce-reuse-recycle initiatives that are a part of our daily business routines.

Our tea cartons are made from 100% recycled paper board (at least 55% verified post-consumer waste) and shipped in recyclable packing boxes.

Our herbal teas are put into unbleached tea bags made from abacá (Musa textilis), also sometimes known as manila hemp. The tea bags are attached with aluminum staple wire to teabag string made of raw cotton (Gossypium spp.) and a paper tea tag. We encourage you to compost your used tea bags, string and all (but first remove the aluminum staple), rather than throwing them in the trash. They will make great soil later on!

We are very serious about our commitment to utilizing reusable or sustainable materials. For this reason, we want to be transparent about the fact that the lined envelope that covers our teabags contains a component that is not yet recyclable. The lining of the envelope provides an effective barrier to moisture, oxygen and aroma that is necessary to maintain quality throughout the product’s shelf life. The primary component which provides this barrier is either polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) or ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH). For many years we have been working closely with our envelope suppliers to test innovative greener lining options that are still in development. As soon as a recyclable or compostable lined envelope that can guarantee shelf-life stability becomes available, we will make the switch and let you know.

We also practice composting and gray water recycling at our headquarters in Sebastopol, CA.

In our offices, we strive to only use recycled paper and make sure that recycling is easy for everyone to do (you know, recycling bins everywhere and other common practices like that). We also have composting bins and continually work to reduce unnecessary packaging materials or other waste. In fact, Traditional Medicinals has been a California Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) winner every year consecutively from 1997 to 2009, and again for 2011. WRAP is administered by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).  It provides an opportunity for California businesses and non-profit organizations to gain public recognition for their outstanding waste reduction efforts, as well as letting the community know about the businesses that take waste reduction seriously.

We’re always looking for ways to reduce our impact. You can learn more about what you can do at Visit Earth 911 - Making Every Day Earth Day