The Republic of Tea Review and Alternatives

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Unless you live in Asia, or regions where tea is cultivated, it can be extremely hard to find high-quality tea. Sure, you can buy tea in the local store, or at the mall, but let’s be honest; the commercially available tea is nowhere to being high in quality. And sometimes, it is simply boring to be satisfied with the bagged tea, that doesn’t even contain real tea, but rather tea leftovers, dust, and fannings. That is why many people turn to online tea companies and online purchase. Tea companies that sell their tea online are probably the main source of high-quality tea that is available, and usually affordable for everyone. One such company is The Republic of Tea.

So, we’ve decided to take a look at this tea company and share with you reviews, thoughts, and opinions. When buying tea online, it is important to determine whether the company is reliable and trustworthy or not. Therefore, in case you want to order tea from The Republic of Tea, but aren’t sure, here’s an insight you might find useful.

The Republic of Tea – Company Overview

The Republic of Tea is a California-based tea company that was founded in 1992. The company prioritizes quality production, premium teas, tea collections, offers, as well as fair trade and excellent working conditions at the tea gardens. Moreover, at The Republic of Tea, customers are able to get organic, full-leaf tea and numerous varieties that can be usually hard to find. It is important to mention that The Republic of Tea is a socially and environmentally responsible business. The company ensures they share their progress and prosperity by developing exceptional products and by being members of Fairtrade, The Ethical Tea Partnership, Action Against Hunger and the Whole Planet Foundation. This is especially important because it means the company is serious about their impact, business and that they take care of their workers, plantations, and customers.

The Republic of Tea also takes pride in the fact that they employ people who are the best in the industry. On their side, they have tea masters from all over the world, nutritionists, so-called health ministers, etc. The company does not only want to sell tea for the sake of profit and expansion on the market; they want to make an impact and affect people’s lives positively, with each new cup of tea.

The Republic of Tea offers anything one could ask for when it comes to tea. There are around 150 tea varieties you can choose and buy; each tea is quality-checked and supervised by tea connoisseurs, health enthusiasts, tea roasters and other valuable workers. The company offers unique, rare and limited editions for the best, most affordable prices. Their tea is chemical-free, organic, and the packaging (tea bags) is recyclable, free of staples, strings and has no unnecessary labeling.

Note: here’s what it means when we say The Republic of Tea is socially and environmentally responsible;

  • The Ethical Tea Partnership – this means that the company strives to make improvements in the tea industry by monitoring and certifying producers and sellers that meet requirements and standards. The company also strives to provide support and education for the producers and helps combats climate change through its contribution to the tea industry. Moreover, the ETP also means the company buys from the sources that have been deemed ethical, which includes the health and safety of the workforce, sustainable growing practices, and other standards.
  • Fairtrade – the fact that The Republic of Tea is a supporter of the Fairtrade initiative means that ensure a fair price for the products so that the farmers and producers can support themselves. Fairtrade products are sold at the present, determined price, depending on the country. This was the company that ensures farmers are able to invest in their lives, their children, family, and community.
  • Whole Planet Foundation – The Republic of Tea is an avid supporter of this foundation; the Whole Planet Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to poverty alleviation. Through the production of tea, the company empowers the world’s poorest people with microcredit in places that sources the tea products.

Why Choose The Republic of Tea?

Why Choose The Republic of Tea

Having had experience with their teas, as well as by the judgment of other loyal customers, we’ve come up with few reasons why you should be buying your tea at The Republic of Tea;

Trusted and Committed

Finding a trusted and committed tea seller can be extremely hard. The majority of tea businesses tend to look for shortcuts in their production and quality, so they sell low-grade, low-quality tea under the persuasion that it is the total opposite. Now, The Republic of Tea has always been open about their tea quality, tea origin and overall tea collection and offers.

They guarantee (via memberships, partnerships, certifications) that what they sell comes from top quality tea farmers and tea gardens in countries like China, Japan, India, etc. To ensure this information is always clear to their customers, the company ensures labels and detailed information descriptions regarding the origin, flavor, aroma, grade, caffeine and other content, preparation method and much more. The Republic of Tea makes sure the customer knows exactly what is it they’re investing their money and trust in, and so far, the company’s doing great.

High-Quality Product and Packaging

The reason why The Republic of Tea products have been characterized as high-quality lies in the fact that they sell organic, loose, whole-leaf tea (even when it comes in tea bags). This means that the tea is not contaminated and that it has not been covered in pesticides and fertilizers. No chemicals have been used to enhance the growth and yield of the tea plants for The Republic of Tea products; and if you care about quality, this will surely mean a lot to you.

Moreover, the uses high-quality packaging for their products; the tea bags, for example, are unbleached; this means that no chemicals and toxins will be released into the tea during the infusion, as these chemicals can be carcinogenic. Furthermore, these bags are also free from staples, string and unnecessary labels, that can usually release toxins into the tea themselves. And finally, the tins in which you actually receive the tea are recyclable and reusable; when ordering a refill, you will actually receive the tea in paper pouches, as you can reuse the previous tea tin.

Excellent Offers and Prices

Excellent Offers and Prices

Now that we’ve seen what the missions and principles of this company are, it is time to look at their actual tea offers and prices. The Republic of Tea offers around 150 teas and general tea varieties that include green, black, white, Oolong and Matcha tea. Moreover, they also offer decaffeinated, herbal, Pu-erh and Rooibos tea, as well as tea blends, Mate and Chai. They provide an incredible collection of flavor teas, that contain high-quality, premium spices and herbs. You can also choose the package type that suits you the best; loose-leaf package, tea bags, single sips package, as well as glass bottled tea. The Republic of Tea has also recently expanded its offers, and now sells exceptional teaware that includes kettles, cups, mugs, accessories, and teaware specials. Here’s a brief overview of their tea collection and the tea profiles;

  1. Black tea – The Republic of Tea offers black tea that comes from China and India. They offer plain black tea as well as flavored blends, in order to meet the taste and flavor preferences of their customers. The black tea they offer is generally smooth, but can also be smoky or fruity and sweet, depending on the variety or blend. The Republic of Tea takes special pride in their Assam, Golden Yunnan and Lapsang Souchong black teas, as well as their unique Earl Greyer (as they spell it) black tea. If you’re more experienced in black tea, the company recommends Darjeeling Special Serve tea that is limited edition and of course, first flush. The prices for black tea start at affordable $10 (refills come at even lower prices).

More: 11 Best Black Tea 2022

  1. Green tea – The Republic of Tea offers green tea that originates in China and Japan. The quality of this tea is simply guaranteed, as it has been proven rich in EGCG (catechins), antioxidants and provides numerous health benefits. On the company’s website, you can find numerous varieties of green tea and green tea blends that have witty and self-descriptive names (that is one of the trademarks of the company). The green tea is, of course, organic and can contain incredible herbs and spices that enhance its flavor, aroma and health benefits. The Republic of Tea recommends you try their Memoirs of Geisha cherry green tea, as well as Jasmine Jazz and Tea of Inquiry. The prices of green tea start at affordable $10 to $13 (refill prices are lower).

More: 9 Best Green Tea 2022

  1. White tea – The Republic of Tea white tea collection is very unique and special. Their white tea originates mostly from China and is incredible. It is sweet, yet delicate and of course, filled with antioxidants and other healthy compounds. You can buy incredible white tea blends at their website, and the bestsellers include white tea blends with vanilla, coconut, and persimmon. The Republic of Tea recommends their customers try Emperor’s white tea, or Silver Rain loose-leaf white tea to get things started. Because white tea is rare and incredibly delicate, the prices are a bit higher when compared to black or green tea prices. The prices for white tea start at $16 for the lowest price, and $31 for the highest (of course, refills are cheaper).

More: Best White Tea 2022 (Ultimate Guide)

  1. Other Teas – The Republic of Tea offers a variety of Herbal teas (chamomile, peppermint, and ginseng herbal mixes), Specialty teas (intended for special, medical use in cases of diseases or conditions like cancer), Iced teas (Darjeeling and Ceylon bottled ice teas), and of course, Organic and Kosher teas (unflavored, kosher and gluten-free certified, organic teas).

Potential Downsides of the Republic of Tea Products

Now, when it comes to the Republic of Tea, it seems like it isn’t all milk and honey. Some of the customer feedback shows that there can be some potential issues when it comes to this company’s tea. Let’s see what you should look out for;

  • Customers deem certain teas ineffective – usually, customers show great appreciation for the Republic of Tea innovative blends that are intended for medicinal application (in cases of health problems like irritable bowel, bad skin, sleep problems, stress-induced problems, etc.). However, some customers have expressed their dissatisfaction with these tea products and have deemed them completely ineffective. Surely enough, these accusations are completely subjective and vary from one customer to the other, but they certainly prove that we all need to be cautious about tea blends. Even though the Republic of Tea claims high quality and efficacy of their tea blends, you still need to take everything with a grain of salt and check for yourself.
  • Tea blends can contain Stevia sweetener – this company has been open about the fact that some tea blends contain Stevia sweetener. To many customers, this doesn’t seem like a big deal, however, to others is it a total no-go. Customers have mainly complained about Stevia affecting the overall flavor and aroma of the tea and the fact that it leaves an unpleasant, bitter aftertaste. In certain tea blends, Stevia is completely overpowering the natural tea flavors. Not to mention that Stevia can cause allergic reactions in some people, and affect low blood pressure, stomach problems and even kidney damage in others. Of course, not all tea the company offers contains Stevia, so make sure to check the ingredient list before buying.
  • Tea blends can be too experimental – it seems that the Republic of Tea likes to experiment with different types of tea blending techniques and ingredients. Even though this can be rather commendable, some customers think that certain flavor, herb, tea, and spice combinations simply don’t work together. Some tea blends have been deemed disastrous as the ingredients are completely incoherent and not in flavor/aroma harmony. So, before ordering make sure to check the ingredient list and see whether there is something you might not like flavor-wise.

The Republic of Tea Alternatives

In case The Republic of Tea is not your cup of tea, maybe you should check some of the following tea companies;

  • Harney & Sons– what started out as a small family business has turned into a globally successful tea company known as Harney & Sons. Just like The Republic of Tea, this company follows the principles of high-quality products, affordability, an exceptional collection of different tea varieties, Fairtrade and Ethical Tea Partnership. Their tea is also organic, pesticides- and fertilizers-free, and originates in countries like China, Japan, and India. The only difference between The Republic of Tea and this company is that Harney & Sons focuses on providing high-grade plain teas, and puts blends, herbs and spices secondary.
  • Teavivre – Teavivre is a relatively new tea company on the market, as it was first established in 2011. However, it quickly became one of the best due to its special attention to the quality of their products. The tea makers at this company focus on finding the best tea farms and gardens, where they get their high-quality tea. They also provide consistently exceptional tea that comes from China, Japan, Taiwan, etc. The prices are a bit higher than expected, but you will surely get your money’s worth with Teavivre tea.
  • Adagio – this is a small, family-owned company that has based its business on authenticity and quality of their products. They have their own tea farmers and tea makers that are one of the best in the industry. The company takes pride in not only the quality of the tea but also in the fact that their delivery is extremely reliable and fast. They offer numerous varieties of teas, where prices are in accordance with the grammage. Therefore, you can get incredible tea for either low or high prices, depending on how much you want.

Conclusion

The Republic of Tea is a tea company that puts the customer in the first place; that is why they base their principles on quality, consistency, excellent service, affordable prices, and overall product and service reliability. If you had any questions or you hesitated to order from this company, we hope that our little review helped change your mind and make a decision. Hopefully, you will enjoy The Republic of Tea teas, just as we did. All it’s let to do is wish you happy brewing!

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