Frequently Asked Questions
We're committed to serving the highest quality tea's paired with the highest quality customer service. If your question isn't listed below, please reach out by contacting us at support@fullleaftc.com or by initiating a chat on our site.
About Full Leaf Tea Company
Yes, most of our teas are organic. If it has Organic in the title, it will be USDA certified organic. Which means we have gone through a rigorous process and regular inspections to achieve USDA standards. All of our USDA Organic Teas on our website have a picture of the USDA logo next to them.
Teas without "Organic" in their names are not organic.
Yes, they are!
Generally speaking, yes, as none of our teas use or come in contact with animal products – but our teas are not certified Kosher.
Our teas are not certified "Fair Trade".
Yes! Because we are USDA Organic Certified, all of our products with “organic” in the name are free of GMOs because the USDA certification does not allow the use of GMO plants or seeds or cross-contamination to be certified organic.
Questions About Orders
If you're not satisfied with your purchase please reach out to us. For a detailed look at our returns and refunds, please visit our returns and refunds page.
- Unopened tea & matcha: Full refund minus shipping.
- Opened tea & matcha: 75% refund minus shipping. (We charge a 25% disposal fee)
- Unopened & unused accessories: Full refund minus shipping.
- Opened Accessories: Unfortunately, you cannot return an opened and/or used accessory.
- Defective Accessories: Please reach out to us. We can assist with replacement parts or replacement accessories.
- We don't accept returns on tea sample bags.
Please reach out to us immediately. If your package hasn't been fulfilled, we can change it free of charge. If your package has been fulfilled, FedEx and USPS charge a $15.95 fee for redirecting your package. If your package is returned to us for an invalid address, we will reach out for an updated address and can re-ship your order for a fee of $4.95.
All of our products that are in stock ship within 1-3 business days. We ship all of our products via USPS or FedEx and can expect delivery within 2-7 business days depending on the type of shipping chosen at checkout. Please note: FedEx 2 Day and overnight shipping only takes business days into account.
- USPS Ground Shipping: $4.95
- FedEx 2 Day Shipping: $11.95
Orders over $49 receive free USPS Ground ShippingOrders over $99 receive free FedEx 2 Day Shipping
Please note: These prices are for within the United States only. International shipping is calculated at checkout and may include customs fees that are the responsibility of the customer.
We package all of our loose leaf tea at the time of order in high quality tea tins or bags. Then we seal the package to preserve freshness in transit so you get the freshest cup of tea! If you select a bulk option, the tea comes in a large zip seal bag, which you can then use to refill the tins or canisters you already have at home.
Besides having a secure site where you enter your information, we will never sell or distribute your information to anyone for any reason. You can learn more about our privacy policy and terms of use here.
Matcha Frequently Asked Questions
Matcha is a finely ground powder made from specially grown and processed green tea leaves. It is known for its vibrant green color, earthy flavor, and high concentration of antioxidants and nutrients. We carry several varieties of Japanese and recommend checking out our informational page to learn more: What is Matcha?
No. We do not carry any Chinese matcha. All of our matcha comes from Japan, as Japanese Matcha is the finest quality and void of rice fillers.
The Aichi Prefecture in Japan, which is in the Nishio Region, one of the most renowned matcha regions in the world. To learn more about Japanese Matcha, click here.
All of the different grades of matcha have the same incredible health benefits, but differ in taste. The difference between the different grades of matcha is the quality of the leaves used to make them. Younger tea leaves at the top of plants that are picked earlier in harvest are the most prized leaves for matcha.
Because they are younger, they contain less stems and veins. This makes them ideal for grinding into a very fine powder, and gives the matcha a sweeter and more delicate flavor. These are the leaves that are used in our highest grade of matcha, Ceremonial Matcha.
As you move down the body of the plant the leaves are bigger and more mature. Leaves that are more mature will have more stems and veins, making the matcha less fine. Tencha leaves are deveined by hand in the process of making matcha. Because the more mature leaves are more veiny, it is harder to separate every single stem and vein from the leaf. This can make the matcha more coarse.
The best of these leaves are used to make our Ceremonial and Premium Matcha, and the leaves not chosen are used to make our Culinary Matcha.
Our Ceremonial grade matcha is not organic. In Japan, matcha must be grown at higher elevations to meet organic standards which does not create the highest quality matcha. While our Organic Premium Matcha is of exceptional quality and would likely be considered organic ceremonial matcha elsewhere, we prioritize listing our top grade as Ceremonial Matcha due to its exceptional quality grown in ideal conditions.
Matcha offers superior health benefits compared to regular green tea since you consume the whole leaf rather than steeping and discarding it. It is rich in antioxidants and catechins, promoting overall health and disease prevention. One cup of matcha provides as many antioxidants as 10 cups of regular green tea, and its high chlorophyll content aids in detoxifying the body.
Nope! Drinking matcha is perfectly healthy for you. How much you drink depends on your caffeine tolerance. A cup of matcha can have as much caffeine as 2/3 a cup of coffee.
Most people tend to drink 1 to 3 cups of matcha a day (1/2 tsp per serving), and they avoid drinking it in the evening. Too much of anything, even water, isn’t good for your body, so don’t chug any liquid 24 hours a day non stop.
Loose Tea Frequently Asked Questions
No! Tea, if properly stored, will never truly “expire” (i.e., it shouldn’t cause any adverse effects from drinking it just because it’s older). Instead, tea is given a “best by” date of 2 years, after which point it can become stale/less flavorful. The only thing that will make tea “expire” is moisture – if your tea gets wet, it can rot or mold.
If you use one teaspoon of tea per serving you will get approximately 30 servings of tea. 4 ounces of tea is equal to 60 servings. We recommend using 1 teaspoon of tea per 8 oz of water but feel free to adjust this based on your flavor preferences!
All of our tea is filled by weight. Because some teas are heavier than others, 2 ounces can look very different from tea to tea.
For best results, we recommend using filtered water and following the steeping guide on the bag. You can read more about steeping the perfect cup of loose leaf tea here!
Yes! All of our teas can be used as hot tea or iced tea.
The temperature of water you use to steep your tea depends on the base tea!
- Black tea: 210* for 3-5 minutes
- Green tea: 175* for 2-4 minutes - Herbal tea: 210* for 5-7 minutes
- Oolong tea: 210* for 5-7 minutes
- Pu-erh tea: 210* for 3-5 minutes
- White tea: 175* for 2-4 minutes
- Mate tea: 175* for 2-4 minutes
You can reuse tea leaves by re-steeping them, composting them, or turning them into fantastic cookies, cakes, bread, or other drinks. Check out more about how to reuse tea leaves here.
It depends on the type of tea! Herbs like valerian root, passion flower, and catnip all have mild sedative effects and can be wonderful natural remedies for insomnia. However, our caffeinated blends including ingredients like yerba mate and matcha have higher caffeine levels and are great for improving clarity and focus.
No, it’s usually the opposite! The polyphenols found in teas are generally responsible for helping to lower blood pressure. One study helps explain the confusion, where some increase in blood pressure may occur, but only temporarily and generally due to the caffeine. Long term, the studies show marked improvement in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. As always, though, consult with a health care provider for all medical results and treatments.
Yes, tea can count towards your daily water intake! While some tea does contain caffeine, which can have a mild diuretic effect, the overall hydrating properties of tea outweigh this effect.
Yes! The catechins found in tea (Camellia Sinensis) are responsible for boosting your metabolism, and the caffeine content in it boosts your energy and makes your body burn more calories. If you’re looking for a non-caffeinated source of catechins, try cacao nibs or elderberries.
No, putting milk in tea does not kill the antioxidants. While it's true that milk can bind to some of the antioxidants in tea, reducing their availability, the overall impact on antioxidant levels is minimal. Enjoying tea with or without milk can still provide antioxidant benefits!