Are you a tea lover? And care deeply for the environment? We’d like to tell you about how we’re making great tasting tea that we’re proud of. How?
- Regenerative - We believe in regenerative farming practices that protect the environment and preserve natural resources for future generations
- Mindful Business - We support a brighter future for our farming communities promoting; education, health, women’s rights and economic independence
- Plastic Free - We’re committed to using plastic free and home compostable packaging
- Taste – We use only whole leaf tea, which provides the most flavour, aroma and nutrients
Drinking tea does not have to leave an environmental footprint on Planet Earth and with your help, enjoying delicious tea every day can help restore it.
We call this regenerative tea.
Our Story
Hampstead Tea was founded by Kiran Tawdey in 1989. A chance meeting with tea maverick, Rajah Banerjee, led to a life mission to bring organic and biodynamic tea to the masses.
In the three decades since, it is always Kiran’s determined commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and giving back to the planet that make Hampstead Tea continuously assessed as “The Most Ethical Tea Brand” by the Ethical Consumer.
Hampstead Tea Today
To us tea is so much more than a daily brew. As the second most consumed beverage (after water) globally, the tea industry has a responsibility to produce with intention, with sustainability at its core and standing up for the rights of the growers who produce them. We believe that it's time to take a stand. It's no longer enough to be an eco-conscious, partially organic, and greenwashing brand. We need more than that.
At Hampstead Tea we actively give back to nature. We rebuild it. We nourish it.
And in turn, nature gives us the highest quality, nutrient rich tea, full of flavour!
We believe that every aspect of our business, from how we grow our tea to how we package them, should support our mission of giving back to the planet.
How are we doing this?
100% Organic
We don't mess around when it comes to growing and making our teas. Our customers know organic doesn't mean a lot unless it’s 100%. For us, it’s all or nothing. No pesticides, no herbicides, no compromise. Read more about our organic practices here.
Regenerative Agriculture
Our teas are certified Biodynamic.
What does that mean? Well, it means that our teas have been grown on regenerative farms. Regenerative agriculture is a movement that's sweeping the planet and disrupting everything we know about how we grow food.
It is based on a simple concept: everything we do on the land has an impact, and we have a responsibility to make sure that impact is good. This approach to farming focuses on soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. It's not just about growing food—it's about being good stewards of the land that feeds us.
The result? A soil-building process so strong it improves our planet, its biodiversity, and even our health. That's right—when you start regenerating soil with cover crops, compost, and other regenerative methods, you are literally healing the earth itself!
We're committed to this practice because we know that it's the only way to truly sustain our planet and reverse the effects of climate change. Discover more about our commitment to regenerative agriculture here.
Makaibari Tea Gardens
Our regenerative tea gardens are located in the foothills of the Himalayas, in Darjeeling, where the unique micro-climate provides ideal growing conditions for tea plants. The soil is rich in nutrients and minerals that our plants need to grow strong and healthy, and the elevation makes it possible to produce such high quality tea without using harmful pesticides or fertilizers.
The plants grow alongside natural grasses and trees that help protect against erosion and retain moisture in the soil. The careful management of these forests is home to a plethora of endangered species both in the plant and animal kingdom. The forests are home to wildlife such as Bengal tigers, deer, monkeys, reptiles, exotic birds, and more!
We are especially proud of Makaibari's commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility. It was the first tea garden to gain Faritrade certification in 1993, and it has since been a leader in empowering communities through education, job placement programs and sustainable tourism.
Mindful Business
Ethical sourcing and Fairtrade practices are essential to the success of our business.
The tea industry is a deeply entrenched one, and it's not always easy to know where your tea is coming from—or how it was made. That's why we make sure every cup of Hampstead Tea is ethically sourced and where possible, certified Fairtrade.
The reason is simple: our customers care about this. When you buy a cup of our tea, you're helping to bring empowerment and financial stability to those who need it most: farmers, workers, their families, and communities. Learn more here.
Plastic Free
We know our customers care about the planet, and increasingly are making decisions not only on the quality of products they purchase, but how they are packaged.
It’s important to us that our packaging aligns with our core value, planet first. We’ve developed our packaging to retain the high quality of our tea, while having a low impact on the environment.
All our boxes, loose leaf pouches and tea bags are 100% plastic free and home compostable. So when you're done with them, they'll go back into nature where they belong!
Our Earl Grey and Green Tea & Jasmine tea envelopes require a thin layer of plastic to retain the organic bergamot oil, the tea bags are 100% plastic free. Find out more about our plastic free tea here.
The Crafting Process
It starts with growing and sourcing only the finest 100% organic, and biodynamic ingredients. Our teas are handpicked and selected by artisan tea pickers. We never use any dust in our tea bags. We won’t use any artificial flavourings and additives to make our teas taste a certain way - they should be happy on their own!
We blend our own teas; we don’t rely on third party pre blended teas. So, if we think it needs a bit more ginger we put a bit more in. After all, each ginger root isn’t the same as last months! Everything we produce is tasted, tasted, and tasted again.
Our Community
We want you to enjoy a perfect cup of tea every time.
We know you care about the planet.
And we know that when it comes to buying products, you have a lot of options.
Companies need to work harder than ever before to be ethical, transparent, and most importantly put the planet before profit.
You might be thinking: what's the big deal? After all, I'm just one person! But if everyone did just a little bit more than they had to—if we all made small changes in our lives—that could make all the difference in helping save our planet – for us, it’s one cup of tea at a time.
