The Republic of Tea
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 6 sources
Californian premium tea company.
The Republic of Tea can't show that the people who grow its tea in India and Sri Lanka earn a living wage, which workers there are very unlikely to.
Also worth knowing
It has no full independent audit.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden, unaudited supply chain in high-risk countries. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsMost of its tea is grown in India, China and Indonesia, where unions are heavily restricted, and it has no full supply chain audit.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain, mostly in countries with poor worker rights
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Finds and fixes problems, or invests in communities |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using The Republic of Tea's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
The Republic of Tea names some of the countries its tea comes from: China, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa. The rest is shown as where tea is usually grown.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | High |
| Sri Lanka | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| China | No guarantee of rights | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| KenyaUsual for the industry | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| South Africa | Regular violations | Below a living wage | Low |
| MalawiUsual for the industry | Strong protections | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| IndonesiaUsual for the industry | No guarantee of rights | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations). Source
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Research notes The Republic of Tea buys Fair Trade Certified and organic tea 'whenever possible' and is a long-time Ethical Tea Partnership member, funding women's leadership, health and safety projects in India, Sri Lanka and Kenya. It names origins including China (Wuyi, Fujian), India (Assam, Darjeeling), Sri Lanka and South Africa, but gives no shares, certified share, supplier list, audit results or wage information. No labour abuses linked to its suppliers have been reported.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Fair Trade Certified tea is bought 'whenever possible', but only part of the range carries the label and no share is given. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No labour allegations against The Republic of Tea are recorded; it is not named in the tea transparency tracker. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | A US company without an Australian entity large enough to report under the Modern Slavery Act. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 6
Show all 6 sources
- BHRRC tea transparency tracker · search the archive · Republic of Tea not named
- The Republic of Tea Double Green (Amazon Australia) · search the archive · Sold online to Australian buyers
Published by The Republic of Tea or its owner
- The Republic of Tea: Conscious Sourcing · search the archive · Fair Trade and organic whenever possible; Ethical Tea Partnership member; Wuyi Mountains and Sri Lanka named
- 33 Things to Know About The Republic of Tea · search the archive · Family-owned; origins include Wuyi and Fujian (China), Assam and Darjeeling (India), South Africa; organic lines
- Partners & Impact (The Republic of Tea) · search the archive · First international ETP member; Women of Tea and Women in Leadership programmes in Sri Lanka and India
- A Legacy of Purpose: How The Republic of Tea Gives Back · search the archive · Larkspur, California dateline; ETP partner 25+ years; women's programmes in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya; organic certifications
Company details
- Headquarters
- United States
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is The Republic of Tea ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/republic-of-tea, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded tea
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent The Republic of Tea.