A Commitment To The Comminity
For decades, we’ve worked hand in hand with ten remote mountain communities, growing and preparing our teas in the true spirit of partnership. Through Fair Trade, our farmers receive fair prices, fair wages, and fair working conditions—ensuring that every stage of production supports both people and planet. With our support, these communities built their own tea processing facility, now proudly owned by the Farmers’ Co-op. Today, every box of Qi Tea helps these communities thrive, keeping profits where they belong—at home.
Fair Trade encompasses a wide range of criteria but the key points are;
A fair minimum price per kg of product sold.
Longer term trading relationships and advance payment.
Specific International Labour Organisation standards (such as the use of child or slave labour).
We were instrumental in setting up the first Fair Trade project in China and we trade directly with our Fair Trade farmers and in 2012 we were awarded a Social Responsibility award for our business model at the Cathay Pacific Business Awards. Also, our organic teas have been awarded awarded ‘Best-Buy’ status.
We strive to be as ethical and environmentally friendly as possible. Our facility in China, based at the tea gardens is run entirely on renewable energy from local hydro-electric power and we source the highest quality of organic ingredients locally to reduce the carbon impact on importing them from other countries.
Naturally Sweet, High-Altitude Green Teas
Qi (pronounced ‘chee’) Teas are a delicious range of vibrant organic and natural green and white-leaf teas, grown and carefully prepared high up in the remote Yellow Mountain region of China under the guidance of renowned grand Tea Master, Chen Qi Quen, and are prepared according to age old tradition.
Once the tea farmers pick the tea (scattered through the surrounding mountains), everyone walks back to the village so the processing of the tea can begin within 2 hours. This halts oxidation of the leaf and prevents any bitterness from developing. All our teas are guaranteed to be free of chemicals, pesticides, formaldehyde and genetic modification.
Our Teabags
At Qi Tea we focus on the lifecycle of our products. The wrapping outside your box of tea is now compostable cello (plant-based). The tea bag paper has a high percentage of plant fibre, and you will notice our tea bags are natural in colour, whereas mainstream brands have white bags. This is because our tea bag paper is completely unbleached.
If you are an energetic jiggler (or you use a little too much vigour when opening the tea bag envelope!) occasionally the string will come loose from the tea bag. This is because no glues or staples are used to attach the string. We apologise if occasionally your string comes loose. We are working on a solution that won’t pollute your delicious cup of tea.
Why Choose Qi Teas?
Qi tea is sourced from tea bushes (camellia sinensis) that grow in small clusters on the mountainsides around the village of Xitou (pronounced Sheetoh). Unlike mainstream teas, Qi does not come from a plantation, rather the tea bushes grow amongst the other native flora of the Yellow Mountains. In that sense, Qi tea really is one of the most environmentally and ecosystem-friendly teas you can buy. Qi Teas are a range of organic, natural and Fair Trade vibrant green teas that are a light and refreshing tea without any bitterness and will help to enhance your wellbeing by promoting mental alertness and is known to relieve digestive symptoms and headaches.
