GREEN SPACE: Ann Arbor tea company first in nation to use 100% compostable packaging

Husband and wife tea enthusiasts Aubrey and Jeremy Lopatin started Arbor Teas in 2004, and the company has grown to include 100 varieties of loose leaf, certified organic teas available through their online store. Arbor's latest step in sustainability is in its product packaging, which is now 100% backyard compostable.

Arbor's packaging, which has only been in the marketplace for about a year, is composed of cellulose film made from wood pulp sourced from sustainably-managed trees. What makes it unique is that it is truly backyard compostable, as opposed to many "compostable" products, which require industrial composting to break down. (Who knew?)

The new packaging is designed to be 60% lighter than its predecessors. This translates to a meaningful reduction in the operation's carbon footprint in terms of shipping weight.

Bonus: the new packaging accommodates more tea than before. On average, Arbor Teas packages now contain 28% more tea. The result, says Aubrey, is "less packaging, more tea."

Arbor Teas sells its organic teas -- three-quarters of which are also certified fair trade -- nationwide through its online store, and offers free delivery to its customers in the City of Ann Arbor. Locally, the tea can be sipped at eve restaurant, Pacific Rim, and the Coffee House Creamery.

While initially, the Lopatins were motivated to open a storefront operation, the online nature of their business turned out to be ideal for the couple. "We found that that we loved it, it worked great and we love the lifestyle," says Aubrey. "We're not wed to daytime hours...we have the flexibility to start a family, do other things we love to do."

Source: Aubrey Lopatin, Arbor Teas
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh