However I also use certain ethnic based designs which can also appear on my packaging. The most important of these is the sacred entwined swans or Hamsa Puttuwa which appears on all packaged teas that are of Seasonal quality production to differentiate them from standard manufacture or blended teas. The significance of this logo is that in Sinhalese culture a bride will wear a special family heirloom which is a 7 strand gold necklace and upon one of these strands will be attached the Hamsa Puttuwa image to declare that the bride is ‘pure’ (a virgin) as well as of great standing and intelligence. The second ethnic logo is the vine of life which is to be seen carved on Moonstone carvings at the entrance to important buildings in the ancient city of Anuradhapura. These carvings represent a part of the teaching of Theravada Buddhism practiced at Anuradhapura. Together with the vine of life there are displayed in the oldest carvings semi-circle carvings leading to the centre containing four animals and finally the swan in the centre. The four animals represent the stages of life with first the elephant = birth, the bull= decay, the lion = disease, the horse = death and finally the swan the attainment of purification. In later images of the moonstone the bull has been omitted. These logos therefore declare the fact that these special seasonal quality teas are of extreme quality and purity.
Internationally Recognized Ceylon Tea Logos
Sri Lanka tea has achieved another ‘First of its Kind’ by receiving the ‘Ozone Friendly Tea’ status from United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Ethically and environmentally friendly tea products are gaining momentum the world over. Thus, the Ozone Friendly Tea status has given a competitive advantage for Ceylon Tea as it can be marketed worldwide as an environmentally friendly product. Under the 1987 Montreal Protocol, all member countries have been requested to phase out the use of Methyl Bromide (MeBr) in agriculture production by 2015. The project is implemented through the United Nations Environment Programme. Methyl Bromide is an aggressive Ozone depletion substance used in pest management in agriculture, product storage, warehousing, quarantine and pre-shipment purposes. Depletion of the Ozone layer is harmful to humans, agriculture crops and other living creatures. Under the Montreal Protocol, Sri Lanka implemented two projects to phase out the use of Methyl Bromide for non-quarantine and pre-shipment purposes. The project on tea sector implemented by National Ozone Unit of Ministry of Environment with the assistance of Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka was successful in finding and adopting environment friendly technologies without the use of Methyl Bromide on tea production. The project was completed in 2007 and Sri Lanka was awarded the Montreal Protocol Implementers Award in recognition of the work carried out during 1987 – 2007 period. Sri Lanka is the first tea producing country to receive the Ozone Friendly Tea status.
The Sri Lanka Tea Board has developed a new logo for Ozone Friendly Pure Ceylon Tea which will be used on all pure Ceylon Tea packs from January next year. The logo has been registered in Sri Lanka as a certification mark and teas grown and manufactured in Sri Lanka without use of Methyl Bromide only, will be eligible to use the new logo. The Ozone Friendly Pure Ceylon Tea logo is the property of Sri Lanka Tea Board and those who wish to use the logo should apply to Tea Board to obtain the franchise rights. Only retail packages containing pure Ceylon Tea packed in Sri Lanka can use the certification mark. Ceylon Tea mixed/blended with other origin teas is not permitted to use the Ozone Friendly Tea logo. – Sri Lanka Tea Board.
Lion Logo
Teas packed in Sri Lanka are tested by the Tea Board to ensure that they meet the stringent Tea Board standards before they are exported. The exporters of these locally packaged teas are then able to apply this Lion logo as the symbol of quality on their packaged teas. All my teas are packed in Sri Lanka at source using our own local design team to design our packaging. We operate to ensure that the producing country derives as much benefit as possible from the production of these special teas.
Our local partners in Sri Lanka have to submit our teas to the Tea Board for testing to confirm a) that they are pure Ceylon teas, b) that they are as describeed on the packaging, single estate and of high quality. This then entitles us to have the Board logo applied to the packaging which can be either a green or black version.
This reinforces the philosophy that my tea business set out to consumers and is I believe unusual in the modern commercial world where convenience and price overrule other considerations.
Ceylon Tea District Logos
Each of the seven different tea producing districts for Ceylon tea, now have Internationally recognized logos – These can only be used for teas packed in the island and certified by the Sri Lankan Tea Board. These logos will appear on all my single estate named teas, on the packaging. Again highlighting their provenance to the consumer.
In highlighting all these elements on the packaging, both trade and the consumer can be absolutely assured of the exact provenance and the extremely high quality of my teas.