Recycle Those Packets!
They’re not recyclable curbside, so we make it easy for you to recycle them with us in three easy steps! Best of all, you get Cusa rewards points for recycling with us!
STEP ONE: Collect at least 100! Save the Cusa box or reusable gray shipping bag we send your order in and fill it up with the empties.
STEP TWO: Ship those empties back to us! We're located at 1510 E 11th St. Loveland, CO 80537
STEP THREE: Notify us at support@cusatea.com that your sticks have been shipped and provide us with the tracking number as proof. We'll add 500 points to your account that you may use for a discount on your next purchase.
Notice: Beginning in May 2023 we will no longer be issuing return labels and customers must pay for the cost of return shipping. We're now giving 500 rewards points per shipment of at least 100 sticks. These points may be redeemed for discounts on your next purchase.
For help, email support@cusatea.com. We collect the empty packets by the hundreds of thousands and send them to TerraCycle to be repurposed as decking material and playground equipment.
FAQ and Best Practices
General
It costs the shipping fee and that's it! You pay for shipping and we reward you with Cusa Points!
Yes, we do! For every shipment of 100+ sticks that you send us you will receive 500 Cusa Points. This is the equivalent of a $5 discount on your next purchase.
Please note: Shipments of fewer than 100 sticks will not qualify for rewards points. Please send at least 100 sticks! We do not offer a greater points reward for more than 100 sticks because shipping between 100 and 500 sticks typically costs about the same.
No, but we do ask that you send in at least 100 at a time. When you ship your sticks please follow up with us with the tracking number as proof that your sticks have been shipped and we'll add 500 Cusa Points to your account.
Yes, absolutely! Simply ship your sticks back to us at 1510 E. 11th St. Loveland, CO 80537.
Yes, customers outside the USA may send us their sticks just like everyone else!
Preparing Your Shipment
Cusa Tea and Coffee no longer provides prepaid return labels. To recycle, customers must pay for the cost of shipping up front and we'll give you rewards points for a discount on your next purchase.
The polymailer bags we use to ship your order feature an extra adhesive strip so they can be used twice. If you've recently received an order from us, please reuse the bag from your shipment. Alternatively, you may use any bag you have around the house.
We ask that you collect at least 100 sticks because shipments with this number of sticks or slightly more generally have the same shipping fee because they weigh nearly the same. When you send in more sticks per shipment this means fewer shipments and fewer resources used to ship waste around. We're all trying to be greener, after all. We have had as many as 500 sticks packed into one 9x11 inch bag and we love that efficiency!
We provide 500 Cusa points per shipment of sticks. This means a $5 discount on your next purchase. Sending 100-500 sticks, on average, costs about $5 and so sending this amount ensures the points reward is a good value for our customers. Please note: Shipments of under 100 sticks will not qualify for the rewards points.
What to Recycle (And What Not to Recycle)
Our recycling program is designed specifically and solely for Cusa sticks because they are a special case which most municipalities do not have the capability to recycle. All other components of our packaging are comercially compostable or recyclable locally, and we ask that you not send anything but the sticks.
Additionally, you can save on postage by only sending us sticks! Sending us other packaging will make the parcel heavier and therefor more expensive to ship. Keep your shipping cost low by only sending us appropriate items.
No, please only send us your used sticks! All other components of our packaging may be comercially composted or recycled locally. See below.
No, we ask that you only send used Cusa sticks. There are three reasons for this:
1) We know what our sticks are made of and we know how to go about getting them recycled. This is not necessarily true of other packaging and it really bums us out when we have to throw something in the trash because it doesn't meet the requirements for our recycling program.
2) Our recycling program is costly and we are only capable of using our rescources to take care of our waste. We hope that other companies will choose to do the same!
3) By only sending us Cusa sticks you can keep your shipping cost low. (See "Can I send back the brown paper bags or boxes?" above).
No. Please do not include any staples, paper clips, rubber bands, plastic baggies, tape, etc with your shipment because we have to remove these items before the sticks can be recycled. Simply place the loose sticks in a mailer bag and you're all set!
Additionally, including extra items in your shipment will increase the weight of the parcel and therefor the shipping cost. Keep your shipping cost low by only sending appropriate tiems.
Yes, a little powder residue is OK and will not negatively impact the recycling process in any way. Please do not rinse your sticks or send us wet sticks. Ick!
How to Recycle Everything Else
