Matcha and herbal tea packaging: a practical guide for businesses

Key takeaways

• For delicate herbal tea, tins offer superior protection, preventing crushing and preserving freshness better than bags.
• Starting with blank tins and custom stickers allows small businesses to launch with their own branding without committing to large print runs.
• The right herbal tea packaging should balance protection, brand personality, and sustainability — while remaining practical for your scale of operation.

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As the specialty tea market becomes increasingly competitive, packaging has become one of the most important decisions a brand can make. It protects your product, shapes first impressions, and communicates who you are before a single cup. But with so many formats and materials available, knowing where to start isn’t always straightforward.

To find out what actually matters when choosing and designing herbal tea packaging, we spoke to Jordan Myall, founder of Cafellini – a coffee and tea brand with over 20 years of experience. Here’s what he had to say.

Herbal tea packaging: Format is the first decision

Not all packaging formats work for every product. For herbal tea packaging in particular, the choice of container has a direct impact on product quality and the customer perception and experience.

Jordan was clear on why he chose tins over bags for his herbal teas. “Bags don’t protect the leaves,” he explains. “If you crush them, it will affect the product.” Tins are sturdier, keeping contents intact during transit and on the shelf.

There’s also a practical advantage when it comes to actually using the tin. Loose leaves tend to gather in the corners of bags, making it harder to access everything inside. A tin keeps the contents within easy reach until the very last serving – something Jordan considers important for customer satisfaction at home.

For matcha specifically, he had an additional reason to go with tins. “Matcha is a really high-end product,” he says. “A tin feels more premium, more like something you protect and care for.” 

A distinction between coffee and herbal tea packaging is also important. Jordan notes that coffee drinkers are accustomed to bags – you can feel the beans through the material, and that tactile experience is part of the product’s appeal. Tea and matcha, by contrast, suit a container that feels considered, even ceremonial. Format, in other words, isn’t just functional, it’s part of a ritual.

Cafellini also offers customers a tin refill service, where buyers return with their original container and pay a little less each time. It’s a good way to extend the life of the packaging while building loyalty, and it only works because the format lends itself to reuse.

Starting small without sacrificing brand

For smaller brands, fully custom-printed tins aren’t always financially viable from the outset. Minimum order quantities can make it difficult to justify the investment, particularly when a product line is still in its infancy.

Jordan’s solution was straightforward: source blank tins and apply custom-printed stickers: “It was easy to start selling with my own branding at small volume,” he explains.

As digital printing has become more accessible – with platforms now allowing designs created in tools like Canva to be ordered in short runs – even small businesses can test herbal tea packaging designs without overcommitting.

His matcha packaging features hand-drawn baby dinosaurs – playful, distinctive, and entirely his own. “I wanted something alive and joyful,” Jordan says. “I have the luxury to have fun.” It’s a useful reminder that matcha and herbal tea packaging doesn’t have to be serious to feel premium. Personality can be just as much of a selling point as finish or format.

That said, Jordan acknowledges his herbal tea stickers are overdue a refresh. Older print runs haven’t held up as well as more recent ones. Ordering in smaller quantities, now easily possible through online print services, would have let him update the design sooner, without sitting on outdated stock. It’s a lesson in balancing unit cost against flexibility: ordering in bulk brings the price per sticker down, but it can leave you committed to a design longer than you’d like.

For brands at a larger scale, the calculus changes. Jordan notes that if you’re launching a dedicated herbal tea or tea company rather than adding tea as a side offering, working with a specialist packaging supplier from the start is the wiser move. Purpose-built, fully printed tins or bags project credibility from day one.

Sustainability at every stage for herbal tea packaging

Consumer expectations around sustainability have shifted considerably in recent years. Packaging decisions are increasingly scrutinised, and brands that overlook this risk losing ground to competitors who broadcast their sustainability decisions more clearly.

Ensuring order quantity is aligned with demand is one of the first and simplest ways to reduce waste. Jordan pointed out that overordering has left him with unused boxes and bags from discontinued projects – a common problem when minimum order quantities push businesses to buy more than they require.

Material choice matters too. Whether you opt for recyclable or compostable herbal tea packaging, being intentional about what your materials are made from (and what happens to them after use) is something shoppers increasingly expect.

Research consistently shows that sustainability influences purchase decisions, particularly among younger consumers, making it a commercial consideration as much as an ethical one.

Jordan’s journey with Cafellini is a useful reminder that great herbal tea packaging doesn’t require a big budget to make a strong impression – it requires the right decisions at the right scale. From blank tins and custom stickers to fully printed formats as you grow, the best packaging evolves alongside your brand.

At MTPak Coffee, we help tea brands at every stage find packaging that protects, performs, and tells their story. From stand-up pouches and flat-bottom bags to custom tins with premium finishes, all our materials are sustainably sourced, so your packaging works as hard as your product does.

For more information, get in touch with the MTPak Coffee team.

FAQ

Why are tins a good choice for herbal tea packaging?

Tins protect delicate tea leaves from being crushed, keep contents fresher for longer, and convey a sense of premium quality. They’re also well-suited to refill schemes, extending their life beyond a single use.

Can small businesses create custom herbal tea packaging without large order quantities?

Yes. Starting with blank tins and digitally printed stickers allows small businesses to launch branded packaging without the upfront cost of fully custom-printed formats. Short-run digital printing has made this more accessible than ever.

How can herbal tea brands approach packaging more sustainably?

Firstly, ordering smaller, more frequent print runs reduces the risk of unused stock. Choosing recyclable or compostable materials – such as LDPE or kraft paper with PLA lining – also helps meet growing consumer expectations. Reusable formats like tins add further value over time.