"Organic and fair trade certified tea drinkers pay a premium to ensure their teas are produced in a sustainable and humane manner. It is our responsibility to ensure our packaging meets those expectations," says Numi co-founder, CEO and Alchemist Ahmed Rahim. "The 'see-through' 'compostable' PLA (polylactic acid) tea bags used by many companies are created with bio-plastics made from genetically modified corn, which is untraceable when produced. Others are sourced from petroleum. That is why Numi has not followed that tea bag trend."

Combining ingredient transparency and sustainability in the tea industry for nearly 15 years, Numi has joined forces with the Non-GMO Project. Together, the two are working to protect the health of our planet and people by eliminating the use of GMOs in consumables. Expanding the verification to include packaging is the next iteration of this process.

"People have a right to know what they're eating and drinking," says Megan Westgate, executive director of the Non-GMO Project. "Genetic engineering is an experimental and unstable process, which is why it's restricted or banned in nearly 50 countries around the world, including all of Europe, Japan, Australia, Russia and China. In the U.S., close to 80% of packaged products sold in grocery stores are contaminated with GMOs, and the only reliable way to avoid them is to look for the Non-GMO Project Verified label."