Clipper Fairtrade Tea
Clipper tea Fairtrade certification has long set a strong standard for ethical sourcing in the UK drinks industry. Now the brand has taken another important step with its new changes, which will benefit not only those in the hotel, café and catering business, but also those who care about the environment and farmers. The new larger pack sizes and completely plastic-free packaging have now been added to the entire product range. This makes it easier than ever for those working in the catering sector to keep their purchases environmentally friendly and responsible, without negatively affecting the taste of the tea or the speed of daily work.
Clipper Tea Fairtrade Sourcing: Larger packs now available for catering
Clipper Tea Fairtrade tea is no longer limited to the usual household pack, but is now also available in larger catering packs containing 440 and 1,100 tea bags. This makes it easier than ever for hotels, cafes, restaurants and other food service businesses to buy responsibly and ethically sourced tea.
Clipper is the world’s largest Fairtrade tea buyer. It began its journey with Fairtrade in 1994 and this commitment continues to set the standard for responsible purchasing today.
The brand itself says:
“We believe that every cup of tea should be a source of goodness, which is why we embraced Fairtrade from the start.”
Over the past 25 years, this approach has seen more than £4 million in Fairtrade Premium paid back to tea-growing communities. This money has been used to build:
- Roads
- Essential services
- Healthcare
- Education
- The development of farmers’ organisations
Every tea in the brand is sourced from the world’s finest Fairtrade gardens. This includes the black teas it uses every day, as well as Clipper green tea.

Available catering pack sizes
For businesses that make hundreds of cups of tea a day, new larger pack sizes are now available, including:
- clipper fairtrade pure green tea 80-bag pack — the perfect choice for small catering businesses, low-volume or first-time users.
- One Cup Catering Pack with 440 bags — designed for continuous daily use in hotels, cafes and restaurants.
- Clipper Tea 1100-bag pack — the largest size, more suitable for large catering establishments, hospitals, companies, schools and contract catering services.
These different sizes allow each business to choose a pack that suits their needs, while also adhering to the principles of responsible purchasing.
Most importantly, whether you buy the smallest pack or the largest, the ethical standards behind each tea bag remain the same. This means that buying more does not mean any reduction in quality or value.
Not only is the method of obtaining the tea special, but the material used to make these tea bags is also noteworthy.
Plastic-Free Innovation: The new standard for professional tea making
Clipper fair trade tea is now supplied in tea bags that are completely plastic-free and unbleached. This is a huge change because it makes it easier than ever for hotels, cafes and other businesses to dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way.
The change indicates that the brand has eliminated the use of petroleum-based plastics in all its tea bags.
According to Clipper’s official Sustainability Report, the tea bags are now made from abaca fiber, which is obtained from the banana plant. The tea bag is now made from PLA, a corn starch-based material, instead of plastic.
As Clipper has been a Fairtrade certified brand since 1994 and was the first fairtrade tea brand in the UK according to the Fairtrade Foundation, this new change further enhances an already strong ethical system.
New features added
Abaca Fiber Tea Bags
- Made from natural plant fibers.
- Completely biodegradable.
- Can be safely added to commercial compost waste.
PLA Corn Starch Sealing
- Instead of a petroleum-based plastic heat seal, PLA, a corn starch-based material, is now used to seal tea bags.
- This is the same quality found in both clipper green tea and everyday black tea.
Unbleached Tea Bags
- No chlorine is used to make these tea bags white.
- Reduces the use of chemicals during production.
- Has a lower environmental impact when disposed of later.
What’s changed now?
All conventional tea bags have been completely removed from petroleum-based plastic. This means that hotel and catering businesses no longer need to separate used tea bags, but can simply dispose of them with other compostable waste.
If you want to showcase premium quality on your hotel and café menus, organic tea is a better choice because its story and quality are more appealing to customers. While non-organic black tea for everyday use, available in a catering pack of 440 bags, offers the advantage of producing more cups at a lower cost.
The good news is that both types now use the same completely plastic-free tea bags.
Biodegradable tea bags are not just a small change, they also play a major role in making daily tasks easier in large commercial kitchens.
Benefits include:
- Waste separation takes less time.
- The environment is less damaged.
- Businesses can also show their customers that they really value responsible purchasing and eco-friendly practices.
Operational Impact: Why is responsible tea important for your business?
Offering fairtrade tea is no longer just a different option, it has become a smart business decision in line with the changing tastes and mindsets of UK consumers.
This not only increases customer confidence, but also brings practical benefits to hotels, cafes, restaurants and other catering businesses.
When the Fairtrade logo is prominently displayed in a cafe or restaurant, it gives customers the feeling that the business buys responsibly and cares not just about profit, but also about farmers and the environment.
Today, many people want to know:
- Where the food they are eating or drinking comes from.
- How it was produced.
This is why businesses that use ethically sourced products often have more loyal customers and people also tell others about them.
Younger consumers in particular are not just looking at price, but also about what the brand values are.
When hundreds of cups of tea are brewed every day, it’s important that every cup tastes the same. Both the Clipper Fairtrade Pure Green Tea 80-Bag Pack and the everyday black tea provide a balanced and consistent taste every time.
This is especially important for kitchen teams that serve tea to a large number of customers every day.
In addition, according to Clipper’s official Sustainability Report, their unbleached tea bags do not contain unnecessary added chemicals. This is why many health-conscious customers prefer them, and businesses do not need to make any changes to their menus.
In terms of supply, Clipper products are also readily available through established catering wholesale suppliers. This makes it very easy for businesses that already place large orders through a single system to include these products in their purchases.
At a glance: Key benefits for the hotel and catering business
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand confidence | Fairtrade certification is a well-known and trusted mark, reassuring UK customers that you are offering responsibly sourced fairtrade tea. |
| Consumer-friendly | It meets the expectations of those who value the environment, farmers and ethical principles when making their purchases. |
| Consistent taste every time | Both Clipper green tea and black tea maintain the same consistent taste and quality, even in large quantities, making every cup a quality product. |
| Easy supply | Available in a variety of large pack sizes, it is easy to purchase through professional catering distributors. |
Conclusion
Clipper tea Fairtrade certification is not just a certificate, it is a sign that good quality tea, farmer welfare and environmental protection can go hand in hand.
New larger pack sizes, completely plastic-free tea bags and eco-friendly materials make the brand even more useful for hotels, cafes, restaurants and large catering establishments.
If you serve large quantities of tea every day, Clipper Tea is available in every size, from 80 bags to the large pack of 1100 bags. At the same time, the same high quality, the same responsible sourcing and the same Fairtrade principles are maintained in every pack.
In today’s era, when more and more people are preferring environmentally friendly and responsible brands, choosing Clipper fair trade tea and fairtrade tea is not only a decision to serve good tea, but also an effective way to contribute to the good reputation of your business, the trust of customers and a better future.



