International Tea Day 2023

This Sunday 21st of May

Every year on May 21st, the world comes together to celebrate the second most consumed beverage in the world— tea. 

International Tea Day originated in 2005, when large tea-producing countries united to address the issue of fair prices and living wages. However, it was not until 2019 that the United Nations took on the International Tea Day celebrations. The first official U.N. International Tea Day was celebrated on May 21st, 2020. 

The United Nations’ main motive behind adopting the annual observation was to advocate for the sustainable production of tea and raise awareness for the unfair wages of particularly small tea producers. International Tea Day is not only a celebration of the drink itself, but also a campaign to promote the sustainable sourcing and consumption of tea. 

Worldwide, more than two billion cups of tea are consumed each day, and 100 million within of those are within the UK itself. This generous consumption makes it essential that we seek out ethically sourced tea. 

So, what does it mean for tea to be considered ethically sourced?

Everyone involved in the production of tea should be paid fairly and ingredients should be responsibly gathered - without using pesticides, damaging the surrounding environment and using excess water.

Tea is one of the main sources of income for many of the most underdeveloped countries, and ethically sourcing tea from these small farmers on Fairtrade guidelines can greatly improve their livelihoods. Moreover, climate change greatly impacts the tea farming communities because tea production requires very specific conditions. We must do our part to mitigate the challenges by seeking out environmentally friendly tea. 

NEMI Teas is proud to classify as an ethically sourced tea brand. As a Fairtrade-certified organisation, we meet a set of standards to ensure farmers and workers have improved working conditions and fairer pay. We are also an Organic-certified tea supplier, ensuring that our tea is made in a way that is better for its people and the planet. On top of that, all NEMI Tea teabags are biodegradable, and both our teabags and loose-leaf are made with plastic-free packaging.

We aim to embrace the values of International Tea Day every day, but we hope you can take this Sunday to celebrate one of society’s favourite beverages and support better working conditions worldwide. Some of our favourite ways to get involved in International Tea Day are as follows:

• Indulge in your favourite teas + try new flavours

You know your NEMI Teas team will be indulging in our delicious spicy chai tea all day, but it’s also a good excuse to experiment with new flavours. Never tried matcha? Sunday is the day.

• Experiment with tea beyond the cup

Don’t like tea? No problem. You don’t have to be a tea drinker to indulge in International Tea Day. Tea has an abundance of miscellaneous uses including scenting, decorating, and relaxing. Check out some fun DIY tea activities here.

• Look into tea production + producers

Tea typically comes from less developed countries and smaller farming communities, but it comes from people trying to sustain a decent livelihood just like you. Learn more here.

#InternationalTeaDay2023