Frequently Asked Questions

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.

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 sent, we can change it. If your package has been sent, we charge a $15.95 redirect fee. This is what FedEx and USPS charge us.

All of our products that are in stock ship within 1-3 business days. We ship all of our products via USPS First Class or Priority which usually takes 3-7 business days for delivery.

We charge a flat rate of $4.95 for all orders within the U.S. under $49 and shipping is FREE for orders over $49. Shipping to Canada is $11.95 flat rate for all orders. You can receive free shipping on all orders by becoming a VIP "Connoisseur" member.

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 is made from ground up green tea (tencha) leaves. This creates a super fine powder. It gets its bright green color because the tea plants are temporarily grown in the shade. This tricks the plants into overproducing chlorophyll because they think they aren’t getting enough sunlight. To learn more about Matcha, we highly recommend reading our comprehensive guide!

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.

No, our Ceremonial matcha, which is our highest grade, is not organic. In Japan, matcha has to be grown at a higher elevation to be considered organic.

This higher elevation is not the ideal condition in which to grow matcha. This is why the most vibrant green and high-quality matcha teas you see are usually non-organic because the non-organic matcha is grown in ideal conditions.

Our Organic premium matcha would most likely be considered organic ceremonial matcha at other matcha companies. Still, because our non-organic ceremonial is such a high quality, we list our top organic grade as Organic Premium.

Matcha is better than drinking regular green tea because the health benefits are increased as you are consuming the entire leaf, rather than steeping the tea and pulling the leaves out.

Matcha is full of antioxidants and catechins that help overall health and prevent disease. The antioxidants from one cup of matcha are equal to the antioxidants in 10 cups of regular green tea. Matcha also contains a high concentration of chlorophyll, which helps eliminate chemicals from 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. 

We recommend our Organic Premium or ceremonial matcha. The quality of the tea leaves makes these two teas the best for drinking straight with water.

Ceremonial is our highest grade of matcha and has an excellent smooth taste.If you are looking for an organic matcha to drink whisked with water, Organic Premium is perfect. It is great quality, a beautiful vibrant green, and tastes wonderful.  

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. You should use 1 tsp of tea per 8 ounces of filtered water.

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 side of the tin. The great thing about tea is that you can make it however you want! You can use different amounts of tea and vary the water temperature to see what you like best!

Yes! All of our teas can be used as hot tea or iced tea.

It depends. Boiling water can be great for black tea, rooibos-based tea, and herbal blends. However, most teas should be brewed with near-boiling water or with the following temperature guide for best results.

Green Tea: 175 degrees; White Tea: 185 degrees; Oolong Tea: 190 degrees; Black Tea: 208 (just short of boiling).

You can reuse tea leaves by re-steeping them, composting them, or turning them into fantastic cookies, cakes, bread, or other drinks. See our blog on re-steeping tea for straightforward, step-by-step re-steeping methods.

It depends on the tea. Teas with valerian root, absolutely! Unless you're immune to it, Valerian root is great at putting you to sleep. Other herbs like chamomile are great for sleep or even stress relief. Teas with Camellia Sinensis, however, contain caffeine and aren't great for rest.

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! And we’re not just talking about herbal tea. The diuretic effect that white, green, black, oolong and pu-erh tea may have is minimal compared to the water consumed. So, while herbal may be better for 100% fluid counting, you can still enjoy the rest of your teas guilt-free!

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, milk won’t kill the antioxidant content in tea; however, the milk proteins can bind to the polyphenols in tea and make them less effective. There are other antioxidants present in tea that milk won’t block or bind to, and it won’t make the tea less healthy for you unless you have an intolerance to it.