English Tea Shop has revealed its most sustainable packaging to date through its new range of Whole Leaf Tea, created by design and innovation agency Echo.
The new packaging and structural design is said to be inspired by the ingredients and vibrant colours of Sri Lanka – where the tea is sourced – and aims to highlight the brand’s sustainability credentials.
English Tea Shop’s new organic Whole Leaf Tea range is available in 18 different blends, ranging from classics such as English Breakfast to combinations such as Turmeric, Ginger & Lemongrass.
Through its collaboration, Echo created a unique cardboard construction using 100% compostable packaging which unfolds like a flower to reveal mandalas that celebrate the ingredients and contents within.
Each box reveals the stories behind the production of each tea, allowing the consumer to connect to the lives of the farmers and producers who helped create it.
The intact leaves, which are reportedly higher in quality than standard loose tea, are held in a pouch made from GMO-free cellulose fibre and paired with a reusable scoop.
Whilst the packaging is 100% home compostable, resealable tamper tabs also transforms the product into a reusable tea caddy.
English Tea Shop’s latest collaboration forms part of its ongoing work with Echo for the last four years. In February last year, English Tea Shop revealed a revitalised brand identity with the aim to create a consistent visual identity across the 55 countries it trades in.
Suranga Herath, CEO at English Tea Shop, said: “2025 will see us achieve our green goal of all our packaging being 100% biodegradable and thus we will see zero waste sent to landfill. Echo’s design for our Whole Leaf Tea range is an instrumental step towards achieving this goal.
“Echo has brought our vibrant and transparent approach to sustainability to life in a fresh and engaging way. They have proved to the market that sustainability does not equate to a reduction in premium packaging, in fact entirely the opposite.”
Earlier this month, the English Tea Shop received £2.5 million in funding from HSBC UK, allocated as part of HSBC UK’s £14 million lending fund, to support the company’s “ambitious” growth strategy.