The UK’s first and only fully solar-powered tea factory.
100% Carbon Neutral.
Biodegradable tea bags.
Supporting African conservation and community programmes.
Birchall Tea, passionate pioneers of the tea industry for over 150 years, have always taken their responsibilities to the environment very seriously and are committed to continually reducing the impact of the company’s trading activities upon it. As part of this ongoing commitment, they are a long standing member of the Ethical Tea Partnership and have offered both Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance Certified Teas within their product range for nearly 10 years.
Supporting Conservation & Community in Africa
Birchall has been committed to conservation in Africa for over a decade, where all of their black teas are exclusively sourced from. The Birchall Community programme has supported Virunga National Park for around 12 years, helping to protect the park and its inhabitants.
Beyond conservation, Birchall has been commended for providing excellent housing and social amenities for workers, fostering strong community relations, supporting local schools and water projects, and engaging in conservation education initiatives such as tree planting.
In 2024 they announced a partnership with Tusk, an esteemed African wildlife conservation charity that accelerates the impact of African-driven wildlife conservation. The latest step in this collaboration is the launch of Birchall’s new ‘Serengeti’ tea, with 5p from every pack going directly to Tusk. This initiative underscores Birchall Tea's commitment to sustainable and ethical practices while supporting Tusk’s vital African wildlife conservation efforts.
Solar Powered Tea
The Birchall Tea Factory in Amesbury, Wiltshire is the UK’s first fully solar-powered tea factory. Its roof-top solar installation features more than 460 solar panels, which are capable of generating all the clean renewable electricity for their on-site operations. The factory generates twice the electricity it needs – putting power back into the National Grid. In 2020, Birchall achieved the Carbon Neutral International Standard, which means that all Birchall Tea products are now 100% Carbon Neutral.
Biodegradable Bags
All of Birchall’s award-winning teas are available in plant-based Prism™ Tea Bags, made from a biodegradable plant starch called “SoilOn”, which originates from plants. This means that they will break down under certain environmental conditions and degrade most quickly (within 12 weeks) when disposed of through an industrial food waste system.
The Everyday Tea Bags are now made from a newly-developed plant-based tissue that is 100% renewable and entirely free from oil-based plastic. They are now fully compostable and, like the Prism™ Tea Bags, will biodegrade, as long as you dispose of them through your food waste. The popular String & Tag Tea Bags are also made from a blend of Abaca and other cellulosic fibres and are therefore plastic free.
