Our Story
melez was founded in 2015 by Tea Sommelier Liliana L. Aslanoba and Emre Aslanoba with the mission of sharing the world of tea and it’s countless benefits for mind, body & soul. Inspired by the restless and mesmerizing city of Istanbul, a blend of east & west, past & present, bitter & sweet.
Through our artisanal approach, we want to redefine high quality tea, bring to light the beauty of the botanical rituals from around the world, the art of blending tea, the traditional art of making tea and the culture behind tea while ultimately promoting happiness and wellbeing.
While fulfilling our mission, there are three pillars we base all of our actions on:
People
All of our products are handmade, from the blending to our biodegradable tea bags to our packaging. 90% of our workers are women and mostly from our local community. All of our imported teas, herbs and spices are certified by a Fair Trade program as well as Rainforest Alliance Certified.
Earth
We want to minimize our footprint on this earth. Our packaging is either reusable or recyclable. All of our imported ingredients are certified by Rainforest Alliance which emphasizes sustainable practices. We get to know our local suppliers and we ensure that they are using sustainable and fair practices as well.
Quality
We ensure that our products do not contain pesticides, herbicides or additives. We do independent testing on our ingredients. We get to know our suppliers and know directly where our ingredients are coming from. We always source quality over price to bring you the best experience. We have an in house tea sommelier and tea expert that creates each one of our unique blends. All our products are produced in our ISO 22000 / ISO 9001 certified facility.
PRODUCTION FACILITY
Located in Seyrantepe, Istanbul, our facilities are dedicated to producing the highest quality products sustainably. Here, we blend and package a diverse range of teas, including 50 types of tea bags, 100 varieties of loose leaf teas, and all our iced teas, ensuring they meet our rigorous quality standards.
QUALITY CONTROL
Our quality control teams work tirelessly to achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction. We independently test all ingredients for harmful pesticides and adherence to our stringent quality criteria. We get to know our suppliers and know directly where our ingredients are coming from. Our tea sommelier and quality team continuously taste our products, ensuring that each cup delivers the finest quality and experience.
Additionally, our production team, comprising over 90% local women, significantly contributes to empowering the community by providing essential resources.
SUSTAINIBILITY
We are committed to minimizing our environmental impact. Our packaging options are reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable. Our artisan tea bags are crafted from unbleached muslin cotton, making them 100% biodegradable, microplastic-free, and home compostable. Our pyramid tea bags are made from NeoSoilon®, a plant-based material derived from 100% non-GMO sugar cane, offering a non-toxic, sustainable, and fully biodegradable alternative, free from microplastics.
Furthermore, all of our wooden materials, menus, sand timers, and display materials are crafted from natural wood, FSC certified to ensure responsible forest management that supports biodiversity and enhances the lives of local communities and workers, without toxic paints or finishes.
CERTIFICATES
ISO 22000 Certificate
