Gift Ideas

try our tea recipes

Enjoy Free Shipping on retail orders over $100!

Environment & Sustainability

At Muskoka Tea Company, our mission is to ensure that future generations are able to enjoy the same quality teas that we do today. Our long-term vision is modelled after the Environmental, Social and Governance framework to ensure that our impact is a positive one.

Our Sustainability Pillars

The Environmental, Social and Governance Framework is a tool used by organizations to assess their commitment to a sustainable future. It covers a range of impacts and performance factors including energy efficiency, carbon footprint, labor standards, human rights, diversity and inclusion, transparency and accountability, among others. At Muskoka Tea Company, we focus on three pillars of sustainability: Craft, Community and Commitment.

Craft

Tea production is a labor of love. All of our teas are processed, blended and packaged by hand, in partnership with skilled craftspeople. We prioritize sustainable development in every aspect of our business, from tea harvesting and production to daily operations. We partner with like-minded plantations, use natural ingredients in all of our products and source sustainable materials for packaging and delivery, including reusable teaware, refillable tins, and takeaway tumblers.

Community

We choose to partner with those who share our vision for sustainability and commit to worker care, preserving traditional craftsmanship, using sustainable business practices, and investing in talent development and workplace inclusivity. We also recognize the importance of making a positive impact within our local community. We cultivate partnerships that support other small businesses and sponsor charitable organizations because we know: giving is just as important as growing.

Commitment

We're committed to ensuring that future generations get to enjoy the same quality and variety of tea that we do today. To do this, we must consider the environmental and social impacts of our work, both now and into the future. This means building a lasting business that supports the wellbeing of its team by providing social and cultural engagements, safety and security, as well as training and education. We are committed to providing mentorship within our own company and Canada-wide for budding entrepreneurs.

Environmental Practices

At Muskoka Tea Company we are aware that all of the decisions we make on a daily basis have an impact on our environment. We believe in preserving our planet and creating a healthier, cleaner world for future generations, so we ensure that our daily operations are consistent with the best environmental practices.

Our objective with our waste management program is to maximize our recycling efforts and effectively use our materials, minimizing our waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2021 we implemented a new, comprehensive recycling and waste management plan. We recycle all cardboard, paper, glass, and recyclable plastic in our facility. We have clearly marked containers in work areas for all recyclable materials including all copy and printing paper, cardboard boxes, interior packaging materials, and printer cartridges.

We do our best to efficiently use packaging materials, and choose packaging made from renewable materials that are recyclable and biodegradable whenever possible. We reuse all of our label sheets, using the backs as packing material. We reuse 95% of the boxes we receive in shipments when fulfilling orders, reducing waste. We recycle the remaining 5%.

The major factor in our reduction of paper use has been going digital with all of our order processing. We no longer print orders and instead work with reusable sheets of paper. We also invoice electronically by email to further reduce paper usage.

All of the printer ink cartridges we use are recyclable and recycled.

If they are working, we often donate our electronics to schools and community groups or to our employees and their families. If they are not working, we work with e-waste recyclers to ensure proper disposal and/or reuse.

We compost our green clippings and any tea consumed within our facility in tea bags.