Loose-Leaf Tea

Our loose-leaf tea selection, family by family

At Thés & Traditions, we offer more than 400 loose-leaf teas, each one carefully chosen from committed plantations in China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and South America. Available online, sold by weight, in resealable pouches or airtight tea caddies: explore our 10 tea families and find the one that fits your moment.

Our best-selling loose-leaf teas

• Organic Earl Grey black tea — the classic bergamot blend
• Organic Japanese Sencha — an everyday green tea, vegetal and lightly briny
• Organic fair-trade vanilla Rooibos — caffeine-free, smooth and indulgent
• Organic ceremonial matcha from Uji — enjoyed pure or as a matcha latte
• Organic mint green tea — the Thés & Traditions take on Moroccan mint tea

We also supply our loose-leaf teas to trade and wholesale customers (cafés, restaurants, hotels and tea rooms): tailored pricing, 1 kg packaging and careful delivery.

Why choose loose-leaf tea over tea bags?

Loose-leaf tea is more than just a format: it's a different way of drinking tea altogether. More authentic, more versatile, more respectful of the leaf. Here are four concrete reasons why more and more tea lovers are leaving behind the industrial tea bag for loose leaf.

The quality of the leaf

Tea bags most often contain fannings or fine dust: the residue left over from industrial sorting. Loose-leaf tea preserves the whole or lightly broken leaf, far more aromatic and better infused. A whole leaf releases its essential oils gradually, whereas broken leaf releases its tannins all at once in a matter of seconds, often at the cost of bitterness.

Better value for money

Gram for gram, loose-leaf tea is 30 to 50% less expensive than bagged tea at equivalent quality. A 100 g tin yields 40 to 50 cups, just a few cents per cup, well below the price of individually packaged tea bags from major brands.

A more eco-conscious choice

Choosing loose-leaf tea means avoiding plastic-lined bags, individual overwrapping, staples, cotton strings, and above all the nylon pyramid bags that release microplastics at 95°C. An airtight metal tin lasts for years and can be refilled whenever you like.

A more authentic experience

Measuring, smelling, watching the leaf unfurl in hot water, adjusting the steeping time to your taste: loose-leaf tea turns preparation into a moment in itself. Learning to brew loose-leaf tea well is also rediscovering a sensory ritual that anyone can enjoy.

How to choose the right loose-leaf tea

Faced with so many options, choosing a loose-leaf tea can feel overwhelming. Here is our Thés & Traditions method, built over nearly two decades in the trade.

By time of day

The simplest approach is to match your tea to the moment: morning (full-bodied: breakfast blends, Earl Grey, Assam), daytime (balanced: Sencha, Oolong, plain green), afternoon (indulgent: flavoured black, fruity white, Jasmine), evening (caffeine-free: Rooibos, herbal infusion, decaffeinated).

Signs of quality

A few criteria help you assess a loose-leaf tea before brewing: whole, even leaves with little dust; a clear, consistent colour; a clean, identifiable dry aroma; a precise origin (region, estate, harvest year); opaque, resealable packaging. A tea stored in a clear glass jar in sunlight is already compromised.

How we select our teas

We select our loose-leaf teas using a three-part framework: flavour quality (tasting at every harvest), traceability (known estates, sometimes visited in person), and ethics (favouring cooperatives, organic, and fair-trade where possible). Our family has worked with some producers for over fifteen years.

Organic loose-leaf tea: our commitment

A large part of our organic loose-leaf teas comes from certified organic farming, verified by an independent body (Ecocert, Bureau Veritas). Three reasons behind this choice.

Fewer residues in the cup

The tea plant is particularly sensitive to phytosanitary treatments. Several studies have shown the presence of pesticide residues in certain conventional teas. Organic tea is grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical herbicides or mineral fertilisers: the difference shows up in the cup, in the long-term health of the soil, and in the wellbeing of the pickers.

Supporting producers

Many small cooperatives committed to organic and fair-trade practices struggle to survive alongside industrial giants. Buying organic loose-leaf tea means supporting a different economy: human-scale estates, fair wages, and the passing on of traditional expertise.

Organic, but not exclusively

Not all our teas are organic: some rare, exceptional teas (Da Hong Pao, aged Pu-erh, traditional yellow teas) come from historic estates without certification, but ones we know well. We always make this clear on the product page.

How to Store Your Loose-Leaf Tea

A good loose-leaf tea can hold its flavour for 18 to 24 months — as long as you protect it from its four main enemies: air, light, moisture, and strong odours.

• Air: store your tea in an airtight tin made of opaque metal, sealed after every use. Oxygen degrades the aromas within a matter of weeks.
• Light: avoid clear containers and direct sunlight. Light oxidises the pigments and damages the leaf.
• Moisture: never store tea near steam or condensation. Dry tea absorbs water quickly and loses its aroma.
• Strong odours: keep tea away from spices, coffee, and household products — the leaves absorb surrounding scents readily.

Pu-erh is the exception: it is the only tea that improves with age under controlled conditions (60–75% humidity, stable temperature).

FAQ: Your Questions About Loose-Leaf Tea

What are the advantages of loose-leaf tea over tea bags?

Four main advantages: whole leaves deliver far more aroma than the fine dust found in most bags; the price per gram is 30 to 50% lower; it is the more sustainable choice (no plastic); and the variety is extraordinary, with hundreds of references rather than a handful. Loose-leaf tea also allows several successive infusions from the same leaves.

How do I brew loose-leaf tea properly?

Three key parameters: quantity (2–3 g per 200 ml cup), temperature (60°C for Japanese greens, up to 100°C for Pu-erh and herbal infusions), and time (1–3 min for green, 3–5 min for black, 5–7 min for Rooibos). See our detailed guide above.

What types of loose-leaf tea are there?

Six main families from the tea plant (green, black, white, yellow, oolong, Pu-erh), defined by their level of oxidation. Plus three related families: matcha (Japanese powder), Rooibos (South Africa, naturally caffeine-free), and yerba mate (South America).

What is the difference between organic and conventional tea?

An organic tea is grown without synthetic pesticides, chemical herbicides, or mineral fertilisers, and is certified by an independent body. At T&T, the majority of our range is organic, with a few exceptional conventional single-origin teas where organic certification is not available from the producer, always with full traceability.

Which loose-leaf tea is best for beginners?

A simple trio: a smooth green tea (Sencha or Long Jing), a flavoured black tea (Earl Grey or a breakfast blend), and a delicate white tea. These three styles cover a broad spectrum of flavours and will help you discover your preferences.

How long does loose-leaf tea keep?

Stored in an airtight opaque tin, away from light and moisture, a tea will stay flavourful for 18 to 24 months from its harvest date. Rooibos and herbal infusions keep a little longer (24–30 months), while powdered matcha keeps considerably less (3–4 months once opened).

Have more questions about loose-leaf tea or need a personal recommendation? Our team is here to help — use the contact form at the bottom of the page.

How to Measure and Brew Each Type of Tea

Three parameters determine the quality of a cup of tea: the amount of tea, the water temperature, and the steeping time. Each tea family has its own rules — here is the complete guide, reviewed by our team.

Dosage: How Much Tea Per Cup?

The general rule for loose-leaf tea is 2 to 3 grams per 200 ml cup, roughly equivalent to one level measuring spoon. For a 500 ml teapot, use 5 to 7 grams. Matcha is the exception: measure 1 g (½ bamboo scoop) for 70 ml of water, whisked with a chasen until frothy.

Water Temperature: The Detail That Changes Everything

Pouring boiling water over a Japanese green tea turns it bitter within seconds. Here are the ideal temperatures by tea family:

• Japanese green tea (Sencha, Gyokuro): 60–70°C — water just before it begins to simmer
• Chinese green tea (Long Jing, Chun Mee): 75–80°C
• Matcha: 70°C — never boiling
• White tea: 75–80°C
• Yellow tea: 75°C
• Oolong: 85–90°C depending on oxidation level
• Black tea: 90–95°C
• Pu-erh: 95–100°C (boiling water is fine)
• Rooibos and herbal infusions: 95–100°C
• Yerba Mate: 70–80°C — never boiling (makes the drink bitter)

Steeping Time: Precision Matters

Under-steeping yields a flat, watery cup; over-steeping turns it astringent. Our reference guide:

• Green tea: 1 to 3 minutes (never longer for Japanese varieties)
• White tea: 5 to 7 minutes (longer, as the leaves are minimally processed)
• Yellow tea: 3 to 4 minutes
• Oolong: 3 to 5 minutes Western-style, or repeated 30-second infusions gongfu cha style
• Black tea: 3 to 5 minutes
• Pu-erh: 4 to 6 minutes, or rinse for 10 seconds then steep for 30 seconds gongfu cha style
• Rooibos: 5 to 7 minutes (never turns bitter, can steep longer if preferred)
• Yerba Mate: 3 to 5 minutes as an infusion, or with continuous water additions directly in the gourd

To complement your daily ritual, explore our selection of accessories, teapots, and filters and infusers.