Sustainable Tips & Sips

The Tea Centre is proud to say that indulging in our favourite habit—drinking tea—doesn’t have to cost the earth. Literally or figuratively. We have the perfect sustainable tips for you!

Our little tea shop has been providing Australians with 150+ high-quality teas since 1993 and that’s something we want to continue for many generations to come! As such, The Tea Centre pours as much passion into finding solutions for drinking sustainably as we do in enjoying tea. 

Through changes big and small, The Tea Centre is always looking for new ways to ensure that Australians can still enjoy tea hundreds of years from now. Read about some of our favourite sustainable tips and sips below!

1 | Landmark tea flasks

Mark this one down on your wishlists, sippers! The Tea Centre’s very own landmark tea flasks take the task of sustainability to a stunning new level. Like all insulated flasks, this collection is the perfect eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic bottles.

Moreover, not only is this product sustainable and 100% PP BPA-free, but its packaging is too! Taking inspiration for the iconic Australian terrains it seeks to protect, our bottles are sold in a sleek durable plastic-free gift boxes.

Can’t wait to have one for the next time you’re craving tea on the go? The Tea Centre supplies our landmark tea flasks in Lake Hillier pink, Daintree Rainforest black, Cradle Mountain white, and a coral reminiscent of Kakadu sunsets.

2 | Biodegradable tea bags

Earlier this year, The Tea Centre was proud to release our consciously-crafted tea bag cartons, which you can read all about here.

You may notice that many sustainable tea drinkers recommend sipping loose leaf over tea bags. This is because the latter often uses non-recyclable materials like plastic and metal staples. However, The Tea Centre’s tea bags are the exception to this rule! We’re happy to say that our tea bags are 100% biodegradable and come in plastic-free packaging!

A majority of conventional supermarket tea bags use polypropylene as sealing, which is not only a drawback for the environment but your health as well! Specifically, microplastics from the polypropylene can filter into your tea during the infusion process. Alternatively, The Tea Centre’s tea bags are made from natural sugarcane and heat-sealed—no plastic glues or chemicals allowed.

Moreover, don’t be fooled by the inner packaging inside our reusable tea bag tins and recyclable cartons. While it may look like plastic, it’s actually an innovative cellulose film we call NatureFlex. In fact, it’s made from natural wood pulp! This means you can easily compost along with your tea bags after use.

3 | Refill tea tins in-store

Previously bought or were gifted a Tea Centre tin that’s now lying empty around the house? Well, the next time you’re in a Tea Centre store, you can refill it at no extra cost!

Our beautiful Tea Centre-branded tins are airtight and food-safe, which means you can continue reusing them for storing dry goods many times over. By bringing along your tea tin, you will also negate the need to use a foil bag to carry your tea home from the store. 

If you haven’t purchased from us before, don’t worry! You can nab a tea tin when purchasing from our gift tin or tea bag tin collections. We also sell empty ones here.

4 | Buy local and organic loose leaf

For those looking to reduce their carbon footprint, think local! Specifically, another way you can sip more sustainably is by picking up a loose leaf from our Australian-grown collection. Because the tea doesn’t have to travel as far to end up in your kitchen cupboard, buying locally cuts down on the use of packaging and fossil fuels emissions from food mileage. 

However, the best part of tea is that every part of the world has its own unique kind of brew! Therefore, for those who don’t want to miss out on teas from around the globe, be sure to check out our organic teas.

While food miles are a factor worth considering, our organic teas mitigate emissions in other ways! For example, our organic teas are often better for the planet because they are grown with regeneration in mind. That means the farmers use zero chemicals or pesticides to grow our organic teas, which can harm the soil’s ability to regenerate. 

Moreover, our organic teas come from sustainable tea plantations that follow strict ethical standards. You can find out more about our crop-to-cup philosophy here.

5 |  Travel-friendly eco cups

Did you know that Australians use approximately one billion disposable cups per year? While many cafes have made the switch to biodegradable disposable cups, one thing you can do to avoid contributing to the problem altogether is by investing in a travel cup!

Specifically, our ‘eco’ travel cup collection is not only from the Australian brand Ladelle but is made using durable ceramic that makes it reusable for years to come. Furthermore, it comes in several gorgeous colours that terracotta and terrazzo green. 

While incorporating these eco-friendly tea habits today may seem minuscule, every small change has the potential to lead to a better tomorrow! Let us know what your favourite sustainable tips and sips are below.