We are a small business based in Los Angeles. Although the farms we source our products from are all over the world, we currently pack and ship from Los Angeles, CA.

We ship throughout the US, including Hawaii, Alaska, US territories, and overseas military bases. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship internationally.

It’s simple, for orders under $40, we ship for a flat fee of $8 and orders over $40 will ship for free.

Because many of our items are food products, we are not able to handle returns for teas and spices. If there is an issue with your order or you are unable to use your new teas or spices, please contact us at support@livingrootsusa.com and we will help to resolve it.

Our products are organically grown but not USDA certified organic. Please read our blog post here for more details.

We strive to be an eco-friendly company and only use recycled paper for tea packaging, reusable glass jars for spices and minimal packaging for shipments.

We only work with farms whose values align with ours. They are smallhold, multigenerational farmers who we know personally and who are deeply committed to sustainable farming practices. Each farmer produces what we feel is the very best of their niche product.

Absolutely! You can rest assured that our spices are all non-GMO.

Unopened, our spices can last up to 3 years from the harvest date. After opening, plan on using your spices within 1 year for optimal freshness. All of our bottles are clearly marked with a harvest date and packaging date.

All of our teas and spices are single origin meaning they each originate from a single farm and are never mixed in to create our products. Not only do we cut out the middlemen in our supply channel, we also cut out the ways that they cut costs. Single origin ensures better quality controls, better flavors and ultimately a better product.

Our tea leaves are grown, picked, and processed on-site at our partner tea farms in Taiwan and India. These teas are packed into eco-friendly packaging and shipped directly to you. We source our teas by visiting these farms and directly interfacing with the farmers. Because there is no middleman, we ensure our product is authentic, fresh, and of the highest quality.

Tea is at the root of Taiwanese culture and Taiwan’s unique geography and climate is well suited for tea growing. Elevation can mark the difference between a good tea and an incredible one. In rating Taiwanese tea, elevation is often used as a primary metric of quality. The higher the mountain, the colder the air, the thinner the oxygen levels, and therefore the lower the crop yields. These factors cause the tea to struggle to survive. The result is a more rare and flavorful tea with highly complex flavors, less bitterness, and a smoother, almost creamy texture. Taiwan produces some of the world's most renowned teas and Taiwanese Oolong is often referred to as the “champagne of teas”.

We visited many farms to choose only the best in terms of product and alignment of values. These farmers are often multigenerational farmers who have honed their craft over the generations. Our teas are free from pesticides, heavy metals, and additives. Our tea is as pristine as the high mountains of Taiwan.

We ship all of our tea in vacuum sealed bags that will last an indefinite amount of time. After opening, our loose leaf tea can remain fresh for up to one year if stored in an airtight and light-proof container. You do not need to refrigerate the tea.

All our spice packaging materials are 100% plastic-free, BPA-free. Our tea containers are biodegradable, and recyclable. We are committed to using only materials that are environmentally sustainable and have no negative impact on the planet.

Our spices are packed in borosilicate bottles and jars, which are inert and do not leach or interact with the spices. These containers can be reused, repurposed, or recycled, ensuring both safety and sustainability.

Each spice container features a colophon, a motif representing the local culture of the region where we source our spices. Our illustrators employ their creative talents to tell, pictorially, the story of the region and the people involved in production of every spice. Learn more about these motifs on our spice pages.

Our teas are packaged in recyclable and 100% biodegradable Kraft paper tubes, which break down naturally and are safe for the environment.

We use eco-friendly, water-based pigments for all inks on our bottles, jars, and containers. Our spoons are made from sustainably sourced Neem and Bamboo wood.