INTEGRITE Eco-design at the heart of our development

What is eco-design?

According to AFNOR (Agence Française de Normalisation): "Eco-design involves integrating environmental considerations into the design of a product or service, and throughout all stages of its life cycle".

And according to ADEME (Agence de l'environnement et de la maîtrise de l'énergie): The concepts of eco-design were established at international level in 2002, with the publication of the ISO/TR 14062 standard. This specifies that eco-design aims to "integrate environmental aspects into product design and development". France defined the first documentation on the subject in 1998, in the now-defunct FD X 30-310 standard. ADEME made a major contribution to this, then represented France at international level and acted as secretariat for the drafting of ISO 14062.

Demand from consumers, who are increasingly concerned about the impact of their purchases on climate change, has prompted manufacturers in the sector to focus on perfecting their manufacturing processes, from the selection of raw materials to technological developments and their impact on the environment.

Recognizing the labels on our packaging

The multiplicity of labels on packaging can make it difficult to read, and can make consumers doubt the sincerity of the producer's approach. At Les Jardins de Gaïa, each label or logo used has been checked and means that the product sold complies with what is stated.

In addition to the quality labels corresponding to the type of agriculture (EU, Demeter), fair trade (WFTO), small producers (Trust Organic Farming) and type of tea (Théiers sauvages), we also affix the Info-tri Point Vert to guide you on sorting instructions, and the FSC™ and PEFC™ logos (labels signifying that the paper comes from sustainably managed forests).

Joining Éco-emballages, now Citeo (one of the two eco-organizations approved by the State to organize, supervise and support the recycling of household packaging in France), means for us taking into account the end-of-life of our packaging, which corresponds to our overall environmental analysis (eco-design, waste sorting and recovery, etc.).

What materials do we use for our packaging?

Paper and cardboard

There are infinite variants of virgin and recycled pulp paper. The ones we use are all FSC™ or PEFC™ certified and are compatible with food use. The wood fibers that make up kraft paper can come from wood scraps recovered from sawmills during primary processing and are considered virgin material. We take care to use only paper that has not received any surface treatment that would prevent it from being recycled.

We use paper and cardboard for

• 100 g bags: 100% unbleached recycled paper
• 250 g sachets: non-chlorinated white kraft paper
• Boxes: recycled cardboard
• Infusettes: unbleached hemp and wood paper, without glue or staples

Wood cellulose

This transparent film is also FSC™ certified and includes sustainable forest management. Initially manufactured in Europe, it has the particularity of being totally compostable (OK Home Compost, a label that attests to its decomposition even at low temperatures and without heavy metal residues). Too often mistaken for plastic, it is not petroleum-based and offers all the guarantees necessary for optimum preservation of our products: thanks to its barrier effect, it provides not only organoleptic protection, but also protection against the migration of volatile elements (inks, glues, etc.).

Right from the start, we opted for this solution, which to this day still appears to be the most environmentally-friendly. Our packaging uses wood cellulose.

The 100g and 250g sachets are lined with it for better flavor preservation. It is removed from the paper at the end of its life.

Metal

An indispensable accessory for any tea merchant, our tea tins (50g, 100g, 1kg and 1.5kg) are made from tinplate and protected by an ISO 9001-certified food-safe varnish, guaranteed free from bisphenol A and phthalates. This material is highly appreciated for its aroma-preserving qualities and long-term reusability. Among our various ranges, you'll find printed or blank tinplate tubes, with metal or plastic handle lids for those made in Europe.

The latest arrival: tubes from the Rares & Précieux range are made in France and feature a "plugin" lid, a technique recently reintroduced in France and previously manufactured exclusively in China. With the relocation of this know-how to China having drastically reduced development possibilities in Europe, this tube with this type of lid is quite simply exceptional to date!

Other materials used in food packaging

Petrosourced plastics

Fossil-based plastics such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, etc., are still the most common because they are inexpensive and widely manufactured. Depending on their properties (protection against oils, liquids or dry products), they are amalgamated with other materials, such as aluminum and/or paper, in what we call complexing or laminating. Doypacks are often equipped with this process, although the quantity of plastic sometimes makes it possible to recycle the finished product.

Bioplastics

We do not use this type of plastic, as it does not stand up to contact with essential oils (such as bergamot). Bioplastic is a general name that defines plastics derived from renewable plant or animal resources, and biodegradable plastics that can be derived from renewable or fossil resources.

Example of a bioplastic: PLA (polylactic acid made from sugar or starch fermentation, mainly from corn, beet, tapioca or sugar cane). To date, we have no certainty that PLA comes from non-GMO crops, only that its manufacture is. This is why we do not wish to use this product, despite its high demand from organic producers and food companies.

Aluminium

Totally opaque and a barrier (it offers the necessary protection to preserve the product), it has the distinction of being the only material that can be recycled for life. Despite its sulphurous reputation, it continues to be widely used in food packaging, and its manufacture, though disastrous, remains widespread because, to this day, it offers characteristics that no other material can replace. Most of the tea bags you find on the market, small but especially large formats, are equipped with it.

Long-standing partnerships with local suppliers

Our purchasing policy is to give preference to local suppliers and service providers, so we use French and European companies wherever possible. Particularly attached to long-term relationships, we want these partnerships to be long-lasting and to remain a cornerstone of our product development.

For example, most of the printers we work with are Imprim'Vert® certified, a label which covers 5 criteria:

• Proper disposal of hazardous waste
• Safe storage of hazardous liquids
• Non-use of toxic products
• Raising environmental awareness among employees and customers
• Monitoring of site energy consumption

In short: the eco-design balancing act

As you can see, designing packaging that respects the environment requires the assessment of a number of criteria, taking into account what's available on the market:

• the material used and the impact of its entire life cycle,
• the proximity of the manufacturer and its best practices,
• the technology used and its environmental impact,
• the protection afforded to our product

Since relocation to China, European and French companies have lost much of their know-how in this area. Recently, however, there has been a growing awareness of the need to repatriate or reinvent local industry. Our containers are manufactured as close as possible to our site, in France or in Europe, whenever possible.

Our Quality and Packaging departments ensure compliance with the various regulations in force, and keep abreast of developments in the sector, which would enable us to move even further towards respect for the Earth and for people. Original, aesthetic and in keeping with our products, our packaging is the fruit of our commitment and creativity, always on the move!

Think about reusing your tea tin

Tin tubes are suitable for all teas, plain or flavored, and are particularly suitable for fragile, high-end teas. As they are easier to handle and ensure optimum preservation of your teas, they can be stored in a dry place, away from humidity and light. Once empty, the tube can be refilled or reused at will in the kitchen to hold other dry foods (sugar, rice, pasta, pulses...). At the end of their useful life, these tea tins can be deposited in the metal sorting bin.