General Frequently Asked Questions
Are your products certified organic?
The short answer is no, but we are working on it, and everything goes through a lab for contamination screening. We source organic material, whether that means ingredients that are certified by the USDA, or from small producers who practice organic but don't pursuit costly certifications.
The matcha won't be certified, but we screen and would be happy to send you 3rd-party lab results. Reach out to assistance@botanikherbsandtea.com with the subject line "Lab Tests."
We hope to have USDA certification for the Signature Blends and Maté in 2023-24.
Some Botanik Reserve teas will have USDA organic certification, and some small-batch productions won't.
We hope you feel confident in our passion for protecting our bodies and our planet from harmful chemicals.
Are your products vegan?
Yes - 100% of our offerings are vegan.
Are your products sweetened?
Only our Easy Brew Matchas come with added sweetener. For those we use organic cane sugar, sweetened to the standards of what most cafes use in lattes.
For other teas, we recommend customers to sweeten to taste using their favorite sweeteners at home. Great options include honey, stevia, cane sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, agave syrup, and date syrup.
What does "ceremonial grade matcha" mean?
That term is becoming more and more vague in the United States. To us, it means the matcha that is delicious on its own, without the need to cover bitterness or off-notes with milk and/or sugar. In traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, matcha would be brewed into a thick paste without additives and taste smooth.
To produce matcha without heavy bitterness, the leaves must be shaded from the sun, harvested in the spring, and ground very slowly. This results in pleasant flavor and vibrant energy.
How do you recommend brewing loose tea? What brew tools?
We believe tea is best brewed loose in a tea pot, then poured over a strainer. (Old school... a timeless practice that dates back centuries!)
We believe the second best method is to use a french press. If using a french press, be sure it hasn't already been used for coffee. Coffee leaves behind oils that will taint the flavor of the tea, and it seems impossible to get those oils out! A bit of a downside with a french press is that they can be more laborious to clean than a tea pot and strainer.
Both of these methods will allow the leaves to open up. Ideally, the brew vessel doesn't constrain the leaves. We want to expose maximum surface area.
The next best option is a glass or metal submerged strainer.
Another option is reusable cotton teabags. The ones that we include in some orders are large - great for single or double sized brews, and hardly constrain the leaves from opening.
The last recommended method would be filling an empty disposable tea bag. Tea bags impart a faint papery flavor, while also constraining the leaves. This may be the most convenient method, leaving not much to be cleaned up.
Shipping and Returns
What is your shipping policy?
We process orders within 2 business days and offer USPS First-Class Mail (1-5 day delivery).
What are costs of shipping?
All orders over $30 or with a shipping promo code will ship free.
A low flat rate of $4.45 will be added to all orders under $30.
What is your return policy?
We love our products and hope you do too! We offer a 30-day happiness guarantee on your first order*. If you are unsatisfied after trying our teas - send us a message to assistance@botanikherbsandtea.com with order number and details, and we'll help resolve.
*Please reach out within 30 days from date of order.
*We reserve the right to refuse any refund/return if abuse is suspected. Any refund requests outside the scope of this policy will be handled at our team’s discretion.
Do you ship internationally?
Unfortunately as of now we are only shipping to customers in the United States.
Subscriptions
How do subscriptions work? What are my perks?
Subscribers receive our lowest prices. Subscriptions are perfect for people who love our matchas and want to always be stocked.
After placing your first order you can get access to subscription management and easily skip a shipment, modify your shipment schedule, modify the items in your order, or cancel anytime.
You'll receive an email 3 days before your next shipment is set to go out so that you have time to make any changes should you choose!
How do I make changes or cancel my subscriptions?
To make any changes to your subscription, simply log in to your user account.
If you're a first time subscriber, create an account here. Use the same email address as used in checkout for the subscription. Once you create a password and access the account dashboard, you will be able to manage subscriptions.
Are subscriptions available for all products?
As of now, subscriptions are only available for our matcha products.
If you would like subscriptions to become available for other tea offerings, let us know on social media @botanikherbsandtea!