Slow, Sustainable Living is the Latest Luxury Product
Words like “innovation” or “exclusivity” — the terms we typically associate with luxury goods — are unlikely to conjure the cozy image of a fresh cup of tea. With millions of tonnes produced each year, it’s hardly an exclusive good. And, requiring just boiled water and tea leaves, there’s no need for grand innovations; the brewing process has steadily endured, remaining more or less the same for centuries. Yet this continuity is all the more reason for its success. Tea demands a certain slowness from its drinkers: a full-bodied flavour rewards small, patient sips. Unwrap one of Tealeaves’ stylish (and recyclable) packages to let the fresh herbs breathe, filling the room with an earthy fragrance as they simmer and steep. With each product, the Vancouver-based blender supports regenerative agriculture, women-owned micro farms, and organic practices; mindful consumption goes hand-in-hand with cultivation. Synthesizing slow living and environmentalism, Tealeaves offers a more modern — and perhaps more pertinent — idea of luxury: it’s sustainable leisure.
Founded in 1994, Tealeaves has refined their craft for over three decades. Guided by a simple motto — “We Blend for People & Planet” — the blenders reached the apex of the culinary industry. You’ll find Tealeaves on the shelves of Michelin-star restaurants and top-rated hotels, from the Four Seasons to the Ritz-Carlton. Yet success has never threatened the brand’s core values. Simplicity and sustainability have only bolstered growth.
“We believe a truly luxurious product is one that ensures the planet is cared for throughout its creation and lifecycle,” Tealeaves says in a statement. Care comes in many forms. For one, caring for the planet means promoting sustainable farming practices, achieved by partnering with small-scale farmers across the globe. Elsewhere, care takes the form of education. To promote a positive relationship between people and planet, Tealeaves launched a comprehensive Biodiversity Toolkit, which consists of myriad workshops and case studies that offer an easy, up-close look at climate-conscious business.
Of course, these principles only count if they’re put into practice. Naturally, Tealeaves offers a wealth of real-world projects to prove their commitment. In 2023, for instance, the blenders partnered with the UN Development project, which led them to Samagaun, Nepal. Each autumn, women from Samagaun harvest gob-chi berries by hand, which the Vancouver company used to create its Wild Himilayan Mountain Tea. All proceeds from the tea go to women of Samagaun. With the project, Tealeaves says they aim “to listen, share, and collaborate with the women to assist them in the creation of a sustainable brand, and international reputation for their gob-chi berries.”
The Himalayan Mountain blend is a microcosm of the brand’s philosophy. For Tealeaves, modern luxury means conscious consumption: teas use local ingredients, grown in diverse gardens and harvested by small-scale farmers, to honour the land and culture they came from. Describing tea drinking as a “universal ritual,” the label aims to promote these mindfulness with every cup — or, as the mission statement reads, “to inject purpose and intention into the human experience, to incite consciousness of oneself, one’s time, and one’s impact.
