Frequently Asked Questions

What is loose leaf tea?

Loose leaf tea is just that loose tea leaves which are higher quality, larger leaves that require longer brewing time compared with the low quality tea dust used in teabags. Loose leaf tea produces a brighter, richer flavour with fewer impurities and chemical residues.

Why is loose leaf tea better than tea from a teabag?

The majority of tea used in teabags is commercially grown and harvested by machine indiscriminately from large scale tea farms. This tea is then artificially enhanced with colours and flavours to disguise it's taste before being placed in teabags which are often made from synthetic materials which have been bleached.

Quality loose leaf tea comes from small tea gardens where it is usually picked by hand to ensure only the new leaves are picked and to avoid damaging the leaves then; it is then processed using a centuries old methods to ensure the highest quality taste rather than the focusing on the lowest price.

Is it safe to drink tea if I'm pregnant?

In general it is not recommended for pregnant or breast feeding women to drink too much caffeine however most fruit, herbal or rooibos teas are safe to drink.

During the second and third trimester it is often recommended that pregnant women drink Raspberry Leaf tea as it increases blood flow to the uterus and strengthens the uterine muscle fibers prior to child birth.

You should always check with your doctor first.

Is tea allergen free?

All of our teas are gluten, dairy, soy, egg, fish, shellfish, nut and wheat free unless otherwise noted. In those instances dedicated equipment is used to avoid the potential for cross contamination.

Where do your teas come from?

We have relationships with some of the finest tea growers in the most renowned tea growing regions of India, Sri Lanka, China, South Africa, Japan and Australia.

How much caffeine is in tea?

It's impossible to be sure how much caffeine is in each cup as this can be influenced by the individual tree the leaves came from, the temperature of the water used and the time taken to brew the tea.

Refer to the below table for a general guideline to caffeine sontent:

How fresh are our teas?

We receive multiple tea shipments throughout the year from tea estates around the world and all teas are sealed in air tight containers prior to use.

Why are your teas flavoured?

We offer a growing number of unflavoured teas however sometimes the nicest teas are made by including liquid flavourings during the blending process.

When we do add flavouring we only use natural flavouring free of diacetyl and we always make sure to note the presence of the flavouring in the ingredients.

Are your teas organic?

We have a range of organic teas available now and we are working to increase the number available.

Are your teas Fair Trade certified?

Many of the ingredients which come from developing nations are sourced inline with a Fair Trade program. When more than 80% of the ingredients contained within a tea are sourced from Fair Trade certified growers we will indicate this on the product page.

The basic guidelines for a fair trade certified product are that: the workers receive fair wages, the workers family has access to health and education services for their family, the estate is operating in an environmentally sustainable manor and the estate is receiving a fair price for their produce.

Why aren't all of your teas Fair Trade?

There are two main reasons why a specific tea or ingredient in a tea might not be certified by a Fair Trade organisation.

Firstly Fair Trade programs are only aimed at developing countries whoever many of our ingredients are sourced from first world countries including Australia, Japan, France, Spain and South Africa where workers rights are long established.

Secondly some of our teas come from very small estates, estates so small that the only workers are the owners and their family which means that there is no need to guarantee the rights of these workers.

What is the best way to store tea?

Once opened loose tea should be stored in an air tight container such as a tin or jar and kept away from light and moisture. When stored in this way quality loose leaf teas won't start to lose their flavour for up to two years. Don't worry though the tea can still be used even after two years you may just need to increase the number of leaves.

Do your teas have any chemicals or pesticides?

All of our ingredients are independently tested by an Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) authorised laboratory or equivalent European or Japanese testing facility where they are certified to be free of arsenic, cyanide and chemical pesticides.

What are single origin teas?

A single origin tea is a tea where all the leaves come from a single growing estate and have not been blended with leaves from other estates even within the same growing region and have not been artificially flavoured in anyway. As only the best quality growers are chosen to produce our range of single origin teas they are highly sought after for their superior taste and aroma by tea connoisseurs.

Can I return something I bought?

Yes you can. If you aren't completely happy with something you bought please email us at info@redleaftea.com.au

How much is shipping?

For orders over $60, standard shipping is free Australia Wide. For orders below $60, we offer a flat shipping rate of $7.95 Australia Wide. Express Post is available for $12.95 Australia Wide.

What payment types do you accept?

We accept payment by VISA, Mastercard and American Express credit cards and Paypal.

How long will it take to receive my order?

Under normal circumstances orders are sent next business day using the Australia Post delivery network. You can find the normal delivery time frames on the delivery information page.

Next day Express Post is available to 80% of Australian home and business addresses. If your order is for a location outside of the express post network Australia Post will use the fastest possible transport solution to get your order to you.

Where do you ship?

We ship Australia Wide including to Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island, Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Currently we don't offer international shipping but we're working on it.

Can I send a parcel to a friend?

Yes you can, during the checkout process make sure the "My delivery and billing addresses are the same." box is unchecked at the second step and the alternate delivery address will be requested, we won't include a printed invoice in the package.