Collaborations & Disclosure
I’ve been writing Humble Tea Leaf since 2011, and I’m still finding its place. The tea world has changed a lot since then, and much of it has moved to Instagram. I love how that brought new trends to so many people. It also nudged me the other way: toward lesser-known teas, discoveries that come through friends, and things I’ve lived rather than scrolled past.
What this blog is (and isn’t)
I’m curious about how tea works: how it’s grown and processed, who grows it (yes, there are tea farms in the United States), and the patterns that link tea to subjects that seem far away from it, like war. I like asking why, too. Why is matcha running short, and why does it appeal so much to a younger crowd? My guess: bright green photographs better than a cup of oolong.
This isn’t a typical review site. Alongside the occasional review there’s In My Cup, my weekly sip, which is simply whatever I happen to be drinking. Not everything I drink ends up here, and that’s on purpose: this has to stay fun, not turn into a chore. The focus may shift over time, and that’s part of it. What won’t change is that every word here is mine and comes from my own cup.
Who I like to work with
- Growers, small producers and independent sellers who are open about where their tea comes from and how it’s made.
- Rare, single-origin or distinctive teas, and teaware made with care.
- Brands that let the tea speak for itself, rather than relying on titles, awards or health claims.
Over the years I’ve tasted samples from growers and sellers in many tea regions, and I’m always happy to hear about something new.
How it works
Samples. You’re welcome to send tea for me to taste. Sending samples doesn’t guarantee a review, a date or a link. I only write about teas that genuinely interest me, and if a tea isn’t for me, I’ll tell you privately rather than publish a negative review.
Sponsored reviews. For a guaranteed tasting post with my own photos, I offer sponsored reviews for a fee. A sponsored review is still an honest review: you pay for my time and attention, not my opinion.
What I don’t do. I don’t publish guest articles, content written by brands, or paid “dofollow” links, and I don’t sell links on existing posts.
Disclosure
- Gifted: if a tea was sent to me for free, the post says so clearly near the top.
- Sponsored: if I was paid, the post is labelled as sponsored, and links to the brand are marked as sponsored.
- Affiliate links: some links on this site, including my shop picks and In My Cup links, are affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only link to things I use or would buy myself.
- Nothing on this site is medical advice. Tea is a pleasure, not a cure.
Everything else, which is most of this site, is tea I bought and drank on my own.
Get in touch
If your tea feels like it belongs in this slow, curious corner of the internet, I’d love to hear from you. Write to me through the contact page and tell me about the tea, where it’s grown and who makes it. I read everything, but I can’t always reply to every pitch.