Sip Purposefully - Knowing the Source of Your Loose Leaf Teas

Discover the story behind your tea. At Symphony of Leaves Tea Co., we prioritize transparency and ethical sourcing. Whether from us or elsewhere, sip purposefully, knowing your choice supports sustainability and communities worldwide.  

Symphony of Leaves Tea Co. would like to know where your tea comes from?

At Symphony of Leaves Tea Co., transparency is at the heart of our ethos. We believe that knowing where your tea comes from is paramount to not only elevating your tea experience but also making a positive impact on the lives of those involved in its production.

Every sip of tea holds a story, and understanding its origins allows us to appreciate its journey. We meticulously source our teas from regions renowned for their premium quality and commitment to responsible growing methods. From the lush tea gardens of Assam to the picturesque landscapes of Darjeeling, each leaf is cultivated with care and expertise by skilled producers dedicated to their craft.

But our commitment goes beyond just quality. We prioritize ethical sourcing practices, ensuring that tea pickers and processors are compensated fairly for their labor. We strive to minimize our environmental footprint by supporting biodiversity and sustainable growing methods.

When you choose Symphony of Leaves Tea Co., you're not just savoring a cup of tea – you're supporting a tradition of excellence, integrity, and social responsibility. Join us in sipping purposefully and making a difference, one cup at a time.

Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage in the world.

As providers of premium quality teas and infusions, part of our commitment is to be transparent about our sourcing standards; and that includes sharing information about who we source our teas from, the skills of the growers that we work with and confirming that the growers and pickers involved in tea production are receiving fair and competitive wages. We source from small tea growers around the world. The growers we source from are dedicated artists who want to share their best quality teas with our customers. We are committed to having a positive impact on the tea industry and the livelihoods of the people involved in the tea supply chain. We do this by continually educating ourselves about the industry and sharing that information with you - our customers. The more we know about the industry, the better equipped we are to make purchases from ethical sources, who engage in fair labor practices, who are committed to environmentally responsible initiatives, and support the ecosystems of their local communities.

As a retailer committed to ensuring that you’re receiving premium quality teas from our selection; we want to provide you with useful and relevant information to help you to know that when you purchase tea from us, you are sipping purposefully. We focus on the quality of the leaves – which includes the taste and the aroma of the teas, sustainability of farm production practices, labor rights for growers, and transparency in the supply chain.

We often hear phrases like transparency and accountability bandied about.  Those are more than phrases for our team. They are a part of our DNA. We actively look for growers who are committed to ensuring sustainable production in farming.  In selecting which growers would be included in our network, we look for responsible land use, efficient water management, and minimal use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, adherence to authentic production methods, all of which help define ethical and sustainable tea agricultural practices.

Sadly, the agricultural industry is rife with human trafficking and unsafe working conditions and a general lack of training for workers. We chose to take a stand with who we work with. In order for us to have a clear conscience about what we bring to you, we rigorously manage the process of which growers we work with. Ensuring fair labor practices is crucial. This includes fair wages, safe working conditions, and protection against exploitative labor practices. Ethical certifications like Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance aim to hold producers accountable for these standards. Most of the farms we source our teas from have received these designations. Some of providers are too small to achieve designations, as they are family farms. However, we have worked to ensure that while they are small. they are meeting the standards for being considered premium quality teas.

Every year the U.S. imports nearly 900,000 tons of tea. Can you imagine the environmental impact that growing tea has on the earth?  As a company, we have made a commitment to principles of sourcing teas that are grown with eco-friendly techniques and are included in supply chains that are transparent. We source teas from artisan growers who have rigorous quality controls and by demonstration have pledged to adhere to authentic production methods. We want you to be able to know the origins of the teas you purchase and feel assured that they are included in a supply chain that represents acknowledgement of the origin of the teas and the conditions in which they are produced. As we commit to supply chain transparency, we look for quality and safety standard that ensure teas are free from contaminants, are properly labeled and consistent in quality.  

Symphony of Leaves Tea Co. is very intentional to providing you with access to teas grown by artisans who are passionate about their craft. We are an open book about where and how we source our teas. Traceability systems help track the journey of tea from the farm to the consumer, ensuring accountability at each step of the supply chain. We have researched the reputations of the vendors we source from. We minimize the need for intermediaries, allowing us to know where our teas are coming from and ensuring that the grower is receiving fair and equitable compensation. Educating consumers about the importance of accountability in the tea industry empowers you, our customers, to make responsible choices and supports companies that adhere to ethical practices.

How does all this impact your tea experiences to help you sip purposefully?

Premium teas are often associated with cultural, innovation and artistic traditions and endeavors. They have a more refined and complex flavor profile with rich aromatic scents. There’s less astringency and free of the bitterness often associated with tea. Our artisan tea growers focus on quality in a way that mass producers can’t.  The tea growers we source from pay meticulous detail to every aspect of the tea production process; from the selection of the tea bushes, the care of the plants to the harvesting, withering, rolling, oxidation and drying processing. We believe that by sourcing artisanal and premium teas for our customers we can help growers share deeper appreciations of the history of tea, the craftsmanship behind each cup and ultimately deliver enhanced brewing experiences.

 Premium teas provide a more enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing brewing experience. Artisanal growers play a crucial role in preserving the art of tea making and offering tea enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy unique high-quality teas. Their dedication to traditional growing methods, sustainable practices and terroir of their tea gardens contributes to the diversity and the richness of the tea world.

 Our offering includes both orthodox teas and hand blended tea infusions. Our infusions are blended with at least 70% whole leaf, premium-quality teas as the base ingredient. We apply the same sourcing ethos to blending ingredients as we do to teas.   

 Hopefully this helps you in your search and selection process for premium quality artisanal tea and tea infusions.

 Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, and feedback. Please reach out to us at renee.rubens@symphonyofleavestea.com or contact us on IG @symphonyofleavestea

 

Warmest Regards

Renee

Previous
Previous

The Power of Gratitude

Next
Next

Loose-Leaf vs. Sachets: Choosing the Right Tea Experience