Environment, heritage, and artisanship are three critical points of Tea Drunk's impact on the tea industry
NEW YORK, NY (August 26, 2021) - As a leader in the top shelf sector of the tea industry, Tea Drunk focuses on only the most sustainable and preservative practices for our products and partnerships. Our goal goes beyond sourcing the most prized teas from China's top terroir for our customers as we look to the future of the global tea industry as a whole.
Environmental: Tea is a product of its terroir, meaning the land on which it is grown. We exclusively source from historic tea mountains and villages that were hailed by generations of connoisseurs. Many of the regions we source in are home to old (200-600 years old) and heirloom tea trees, which were born from seeds planted generations ago and diminishing in numbers. Every tree is different from each other and offers the most complexity. This practice aligns with our mission of environmental consciousness, as nature favors diversity. By sourcing in this conservative fashion, we can help protect the land and these ancient trees, as well as move the industry away from a dangerous standard of monoculture.
Our teas are harvested for only 10-15 days a year, respecting their natural growing cycle, unlike commercial teas modified to enable unnatural harvesting 9 out of 12 months a year. We work exclusively with heritage tea farmers who do not use anything synthetic in their processing because it will negatively affect the environment, the tea itself, and the livelihood of the farm families who live in the region. The use of chemicals is regionally forbidden in the top terroir regions for land and historical protection. There are forestry policies set by the local government that ban the use of chemicals across the board, not just for tea.
Heritage: Tea Drunk prides itself on our commitment to preserving the 2000-year-old practice of tea making and tea consumption. On an industry level, we're working on increasing the standards of regulatory practices across the board for tea to protect the industry and its growing consumer base. There is an industry-wide trend of competition that is dragging down the acceptable quality, and Tea Drunk is working to change that pattern for the future.
Sharing tea and the ancient Chinese traditions surrounding it, facilitates a deeper understanding of another and increases our shared humanity on a global scale. Sitting down for tea with a stranger, learning how to Gong Fu brew, and experiencing a faraway place through its flavors are all elements that allow us to bring the world closer to home and connect bridges that otherwise might divide us.
Artisanship: Every bud and leaf is hand-picked and meticulously hand-crafted by heritage farmers. They are handmade in ultra-small batches in iron woks, on bamboo trays, and with sunlight. From harvest to process to distribution, we touch every piece of the supply chain to ensure the utmost care of the tea itself and the partners we work with along the way. Because our teas are all from China's top terroir, many prices are set at a market rate that keeps farmers and the entire supply chain paid justly. We do not give in to the competitive downgrade of pay to the hardworking artisans that make our tea.
Each piece circles back to our passion for tea and the culture surrounding the ancient history of tea connoisseurship. Our care for the sustainability of the environment, people, and tea practices in these historical regions, as well as globally, uniquely positions us to hit all the marks as an ESG brand consistently. We hope to share our passion and knowledge of tea and the progress of the tea industry with you! For more information on working with us or any questions you have, you can contact us at hello@tea-drunk.com.
Visit our website (www.tea-drunk.com), our SFA showroom, and follow us on Instagram (@teadrunk).
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