We want to prove that it is possible for resources to be used responsibly. That's why we explore new avenues, act sustainably in everything we do and pay attention to every last detail.
For example, our certified organic tea is packaged in a plastic capsule that has a body made of high-quality recycled material. This means that we don't use any "new" plastic but only use recycled materials. Our ultimate goal is to avoid putting more plastic into circulation and ensure that the existing plastic can be reused again. In addition, with countless quality assurance measures along the entire supply chain, we ensure that this philosophy is reflected not only the quality but also the entire process. This includes intelligent energy management in production as well as the climate neutral shipping of our tea. All the information regarding our sustainability strategy and capsule recycling can be found below.
The organic production of our products is of the utmost importance to us. That's why all our teas are certified organic – without exception. In effect, what this means for the cultivation and further processing of our teas is: no synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilisers, no genetic engineering, no food irradiation and fewer additives. But that's not all – we also look for varied and sustainable cultivation, so that soil fertility is preserved for future generations.
Fair enough! For teas originating from countries where social standards are not as a rule enforced, we also endeavour to obtain – or have already obtained – certification based on Fairtrade or Rainforest Alliance criteria. Here, too, sustainable farming practices play an important role in protecting the soil and surrounding waters. At the same time, these standards promote fair trade, fair working conditions and appropriate remuneration for producers. Fairtrade aims to sustainably empower smallholder families and their communities, to improve their productivity and infrastructure and thereby lastingly improve their position in the world market. Rainforest Alliance certified farmers also undergo training with a view to increasing their yield and tea quality and improving their living conditions in the long term. It is of the utmost importance to us that we can offer not only first-class tea, but above all sustainable enjoyment, because we believe that the one cannot exist without the other.
We want you to not only to taste the perfect tea, but experience it with all your senses. This is why our tea capsule is transparent, making it easy to see the hand-picked leaves, flowers and fruit. At the same time, the packaging must be 100% airtight in order to preserve every nuance of our tea. And it also has to withstand the high temperatures of the hot water during brewing – without affecting the taste of our tea.
Overall that's a whole lot of requirements which can only be met by high-quality plastic. And that is also why we are one of the first companies in food production that uses recycled plastic to manufacture our capsule body, meaning we don't use any "new" plastic. We apply the process of molecular recycling, in which the different types of plastic are first broken down into their individual components and thus returned to their original state. This raw material can then be used for the production of recycled material - i.e. new plastic from old material. And because the recyclate has excellent properties we can use it to manufacture new capsules in which our tea can not only be safely packaged, but also brewed. *In regards to the capsule body.
Yes, please.
You can of course dispose of our capsules in your local recycling bin (in Germany, this is the yellow bin) and thus send it for conventional recycling. In this process, they are first separated as valuable plastic in a sorting plant and then processed into recycled material, from which new plastic products can be made. However, this plastic cannot be used in food production and therefore cannot be used to make new Avoury capsules. We love to use our own plastic again. That's why it's even better if you send the capsules back to us and we will add them directly – and resource-efficiently – to our molecular recycling process so that they can become capsules again. All you have to do is add the free Avoury recycling bag to your capsule order and collect the used capsules. The tea itself is simply left in the capsule. When the bag is full, stick the return label on it and send it back to us – free of charge, of course.
We take the issue of sustainable use of plastic very seriously. That is why we have partnered with Plastic Bank, a company that has made it their mission to reduce ocean plastic and at the same time give people living in poverty a chance at a better future. Plastic Bank is a social enterprise, they turn plastic into a currency and currently enable people in Haiti, Indonesia, Brazil and the Philippines to exchange used plastic for cash and non-cash benefits. This new global recycling ecosystem automatically causes less plastic to get into our oceans. In practice, for us this means that through our partnership with Plastic Bank, we will collect at least twice as much plastic as we put into circulation.
Our recycling process is not only innovative, it is also a bit complicated. Well, that's if you're not as deeply involved in the subject as we are. Our video will show you exactly how molecular recycling works and what makes it so special.
Do you want to know everything? So do we. How does our recycling work? Why don't we use bioplastics? Why is plastic an important recyclable material for us? Here we answer your questions about sustainability and quality in detail.