Biodegradable and Green Packaging

Mighty Leaf wins award for best new bio-tea pouches.

 
We are proud to announce that Mighty Leaf was recently awarded Best New Packaging for our biodegradable tea pouches at the Specialty Coffee Association Show.
 
“It is most gratifying to be honored by our tea and coffee peers, as this recognition also reflects our communities’ increased focus on sustainability and ethical beverage products,” said Gary Shinner, CEO of Mighty Leaf Tea Company.  Eleven years ago, Mighty Leaf pioneered the silken mesh pouch filled with whole leaf tea. The concept emanated from their days in the teahouse and desire to find a solution to serving premium whole full tea leaves in a more foodservice friendly manner.

TEA POUCH COMPOStability:

Mighty Leaf Tea Pouches are crafted from corn-derived PLA and exceed ASTM standards for compostability. Our pouches will decompse into carbon dioxide and water in a controlled composting environment in fewer than 90 days. The string and tag are also compostable and do not need to be removed before discarding.
 

News Release
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Mighty Leaf Tea Awarded Best New Green Packaging at SCAA Show
Specialty Tea Company Demystifies and Unleashes the Goodness of Tea

Mighty Leaf Tea Awarded Best New Packaging at SCAA Show - April 11, 2006 (San Rafael, CA) — Mighty Leaf Tea continues to forge a new path in the specialty tea category as the Specialty Coffee Association of America awarded them “Best New Packaging” for their new biodegradable tea pouches. Made of polylactic corn, the new silken biodegradable pouches show off the tea leaves even more than the original silken mesh pouches did. 

Today, there are many tea companies who have silken tetrahedron or rectangular bags with loose tea inside, but use glue or staples to seal their bags. Mighty Leaf’s signature pouches are stitched with an unbleached cotton string using a process that is proprietary. Again Mighty Leaf leads the pack.
 
Environmentally-conscious business owners, Gary Shinner and Jill Portman spent a year searching for the right biodegradable material, not giving in to key factors like compromising the flavor of the tea to be brewed or the aesthetic quality of being able to view the blends through the pouches.
 
“It’s a combination of our personal commitment to the environment as well as that of our retail partners and our end customers,” Shinner said. “Cultivating and selling delicious and healthy tea products goes hand in hand with mindful sustainability all the way throughout the chain, including the packaging. It’s another step in perfection.”
 
Taking care to print their retail boxes with soy-based ink and switching over from Styrofoam popcorn to corn-based popcorn and then recycled brown paper for packing materials in the warehouse are just several other ways they have found environmentally-friendly alternatives to the traditional means of business.
 
“The beverage of tea is one of the greatest gifts our earth gives us, and so it is only natural that we serve it in a package that is bio-friendly to Mother Nature,” Shinner said. “It is most satisfying that Mighty Leaf Tea products can now be enjoyed at another level of gratification as well as pleasure and health. Cheers!”