Chai
t Leaf T's take on this popular Indian classic. A spicy black tea with the tastes of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and a hint of pepper. Try brewing with milk (animal or plant-based) and add a touch of honey.
This tea creation originates from the Indian tradition and delivers an intensive and fresh, spicy taste through its variety of aromatic spices. Each sip brings warming tones and aromatic spices that awaken the senses and comfort the soul.
Why You'll Love It
- Customers praise the high quality and bold, authentic flavors
-
Perfect Balance: Reviewers appreciate the well-balanced spice blend that's neither too mild nor overwhelming
-
Versatile Enjoyment: Customers love it both straight and with milk and sweeteners for a traditional chai experience
Origins & Character
-
Traditional Spices: Cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger, and star anise create the authentic Indian chai experience
-
Bold Black Tea Base: Premium black tea provides the perfect foundation with a hint of pepper for extra warmth
-
Milk-Friendly: Specially blended to shine when brewed with milk (animal or plant-based) and sweetened with honey or sugar
Functional & Wellness Benefits
While the name "Chai" describes nearly every kind of tea, this blend honors the rich Indian tradition of spiced tea. Each aromatic spice has been carefully selected to create that intensive, fresh, spicy taste that makes chai so beloved worldwide. From morning energy to afternoon comfort, this warming blend brings the authentic taste of India to your cup.
Chai - where tradition meets taste in every warming, spice-filled sip perfect for mornings, mid-day pick-me-ups, or cozy afternoon breaks.
Tea bag packaging material
There are generally 3 main types of tea bags: Pyramid shaped tea bags made from PLA – Polylactic Acid (t leaf T only uses this type), old style paper tea bags (usually rectangular and heat sealed), Pyramid shaped tea bags, made from nylon.
PLA tea bags – used by t leaf T – commercially compostable and 100% non-gmo
PLA teabags have been around since the mid 2000’s and they are 100% Plant based (non-petroleum based) and our NeoSoilon® Pyramid Tea bags are derived from sugar cane.
PLA (polylactic acid) is mainly extracted from corn or sugar cane and is then spun into thread which is used to weave the clear material that is used in t leaf T’s teabags.
PLA behaves like a plastic, even though it is plant based, this enables the sealing of the tea bags using ultrasonic vibrations that effectively welds the seams together at a specific temperature without the need of petro-chemical based plastics.
PLA tea bags are 100% INDUSTRIAL or COMMERCIALLY COMPOSTABLE -100% NON-GMO
At t leaf T we would love our PLA tea bags to be easily home compostable, but the technology is not there yet. The technology currently exists to achieve home compostability, however it has the tea bag material breaking down in in a matter of weeks so this material would not be a practical option for a long shelf-life like product like tea.
Old Style Paper Tea Bags
Paper tea bags have been around for almost 100 years. They Require heat sealing to close the tea bag because the paper fibres do not naturally adhere to each other. To be able to seal the tea bags, petro-based nano plastics are blended into the tea bag material by the material manufacturers, about 2 % of the teabag, so that when heat and pressure are applied it melts the plastic and the teabag can be sealed.
So, most paper tea bags contain approximately 98% paper fibre, that will break down in home composting, BUT 2% of the teabag is petro-based nano plastics that are not compostable or biodegradable. Not an option for us here at t leaf T.
Nylon Pyramid Shaped Tea Bags
The nylon tea bag material has been around since around 1996 as the PLA technology did not exist at the time. The pyramid tea bags look nice, but the material is entirely a petro-based plastic. The cost of Nylon is substantially cheaper than PLA so low cost driven produces will mostly opt for nylon because of the price.
Nylon is not compostable, or biodegradable so will be around for hundreds of years. Again, not an option for us at t leaf T!
In summary
No teabag solution is perfect but at t leaf T we believe that the PLA material we are using is the most sustainable solution currently for, convenience based, teabags. Every tea we sell is also available in loose leaf and is a better environmentally friendly and sustainable option.
