Frequently Asked Questions ~ General

How much does shipping cost?

The cost of shipping will be calculated at checkout based on your cart total. Customers also have the option to pick up at our Ottawa warehouse.

Regular Orders (excluding wholesale orders)

Wholesale Orders

Ordered for Standard Shipping could be shipped via Canada Post or UPS. Shanti Tea will determine the method once the order is ready for shipping.

COVID-19 Update

With growing concerns around COVID-19 (“coronavirus”), we wanted to provide you with an update on the measures we are taking to keep our team and customers safe and well.

As an organic manufacturing facility, we already follow strict food safety, sanitation and cleaning protocols, and in addition to this, our warehouse has been closed to the public, accessible only to a small team who are following all advice given by Canada Public Health.

Shanti will continue to fulfil orders as long as we are able to conduct business in line with government recommendations. As of the announcement on March 24, we are deemed an essential service.

The only thing we ask for is some patience as we work out the impact COVID-19 will have on our supply chain, which may cause delays to your orders. We will update you on order progress as much as information is available to us and please do contact us if you have any questions on current or forecast orders. In addition to supporting our current suppliers we are also exploring new relationships to minimize disruptions and access to our products.

Our commitment to you is that we will continue to supply you with safe and high quality products and will keep you updated of any changes in service. We wish you all a safe, healthy and peaceful time as we all work together in flattening the curve. A special thank you to all of our customers who are providing essential services during this trying time.

Shanti Teabag Material

Shanti pyramid tea bags are made from an organic plant-based material. Launched in January 2020, this newly developed material is a 100% PLA mesh filter made from 100% non-GMO sugar cane. For the past 10 years we used the best available option for non-plastic and biodegradable tea bag material; PLA-based teabag filters derived from corn starch. Once a non-GMO version became available in 2020, we immediately made the switch to offer our customers the highest quality tea bags possible.

Shanti tea bags have a cotton string and printed-paper tag, which is attached to the PLA mesh using ultrasonic vibrational technology. This process instantly fuses the string to the mesh. The same technique is used when the rolled PLA mesh is spun into a pyramid shape, filled with whole leaf tea, and sealed during production on our tea bagging machine at our manufacturing facility.

What is your Return Policy?

Your satisfaction is important to us, any unopened and unused products may be returned within 14 days from the time you received it. For orders that are picked up from our warehouse, the refund request must be received within 14 days of the order being ready for pickup. All products must be returned in the original packaging.

How do I return something?

Please contact our customer service team by email info@shantitea.ca to start the return process. To ensure that your returns are handled quickly and effectively, please provide:

• Order number
• Invoice number
• A brief reason for the return

What can’t I return?

Most of our products can be returned, with a few exceptions:

• Sample sizes including our ‘Sampler Packs Collections’ are not eligible for return. (The cost associated with their return or exchange would outweigh their value).
• Opened products that are not defective. We offer sample sizes of every product we carry and advise trying a sample before buying larger quantities.
• Custom Blends (we can’t restock something that has been created just for you).
• Special order items, custom sourced ingredients, teabag fabric and labels are non-refundable.

What happens if my order is damaged, incorrect or incomplete?

We go to great lengths to ensure that your order is correct, properly packaged and well protected. Despite our best efforts, human error or damage during transit is still possible. If any of your items are incorrect or damaged, please email us immediately so that we can assist you. All damaged, incorrect or incomplete items must be reported within 14 days from the date of reception.

What happens if I change my mind after ordering?

We understand that sometimes an order needs to be canceled due to mistake or change of heart.  

• If you need to cancel your order as we are low or out of stock, product is, a full refund or credit for the price of the product will be provided.
• If the cancellation occurs before we have packed the order, a full refund or credit can be provided.
• If the order has already been packed, a restocking fee of 15% of the total order applies.

How will I be refunded?

When submitting the return, you are able to choose whether you'd like to receive a gift certificate or refund to your original method of payment. Please note that refunds may take up to three business days to process, depending on your bank or card institution.

What if I find an insect in my tea?

Please refer to the FAQ "Insects and Organic Products".

I have another question about returns

For any other questions on returns please email us at operations@shantitea.ca or call (800) 9-SHANTI (974-2684) or local/international: (613) 706-0670

Insects and Organic Products

Shanti is 100% organic and as such no pesticides are used in any of our products, which means tea, herbs and spices can be subject to insect infestation.

Shanti implements several control methods to ensure that every botanical item shipped from our warehouse is free of pests but with tricky things like heat and other factors, sometimes this is out of our control.

Shanti Tea will offer a full refund for any items which are found to contain pests within 30 days, so please inspect your product(s) upon receipt. Any items found with pests after this period of time will become sole responsibility of the purchaser. Refunds are only available for the dollar value of the merchandise and we are not be liable for any other expenses incurred as a result of infestation. We’re sorry we can’t help more, but outside of the 30 day period we can’t trace back the issue.

Should this unfortunate situation happen, freeze the items immediately at a temperature of 10 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit ( -1 to -10 degrees Celsius) to limit the exposure and contact us.

Is Shanti Tea nut-free?

The short answer is no. We take many precautions to ensure our facility is free of peanuts. However, we import teas and herbs from farms in countries where peanut-free facilities do not exist. We also manufacture teas with tree nuts and seeds. For these reasons it is impossible for us to guarantee that our products have never come into contact with peanuts.

Tree nuts and seeds used in some of our blends include:

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Walnuts

Why isn’t your website working for me?

There could be a number of reasons, email us at operations@shantitea.ca or call (800) 9-SHANTI (974-2684) or local/international: (613) 706-0670 and we'll be happy to help you. Information such as the browser you are using, the type of device (desktop, ipad, smartphone) and a detailed description of the issue will help us troubleshoot the issue.

Who do I talk to about my order?

We're always happy to help, email us at operations@shantitea.ca or call (800) 9-SHANTI (974-2684) or local/international: (613) 706-0670

What are “Natural Essences”?

All of our natural essences are organic compliant and chemical-free! They are also vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free (except for maple teas) and dairy-free. Essences are made with an ethyl alcohol base and the addition of essences found in natural ingredients. We have essences custom manufactured to ensure the best taste! The exact recipes are trade secrets but our organic certifiers are privy to ingredients and can assure that the natural essences meet all organic requirements. These are not essential oils as many often wonder, essential oils are not suitable for tea application.

What are your shipping policies?

All orders ship from our location in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Production times:
Orders typically take 1-3 business days to process, although often we ship within 1 business day. Delays sometimes occur. If we anticipate delays we will contact you right away. 

How do I change my order?:
We cannot change your order once it has been placed but we can cancel it so you can place a new order with the changes you require. email us at operations@shantitea.ca or call (800) 9-SHANTI (974-2684) or local/international: (613) 706-0670

My order arrived damaged, incorrect or didn't arrive!
Please let us know right away.

Delivery Times:

*For more accurate shipping times in the US and International destinations please contact us.

What types of payment do you accept?

We accept Mastercard, Visa, Debit Visa and Paypal. We also accept American Express payment through Paypal (no Paypal account required). Our wholesale customers can request to pay by email money transfer. We never store your credit card information on our servers. All transactions go through our secure merchant services provider. If you prefer, you can also make a credit card payment by phone. For businesses, in addition to the above payment methods, we also accept business cheques, electronic fund transfers and email money transfers. Your order will ship once your cheque has cleared or your bank transfer has been received.