Egyptian hibiscus is graded first by how much of the calyx stays intact. Whole calyx commands the highest price because it survives handling without breaking, which tells you something about how it was dried and how gently it was moved. It is what the tea trade generally wants on display.
Cut grades are exactly what the name says, and they are not inferior by definition. For extraction, blending and teabag filling, a consistent cut is more useful than a whole flower that has to be broken down anyway. Paying a whole-calyx price for material that will be milled is simply overpaying.
Colour is the second axis. A deep, even red indicates anthocyanin that has not been degraded by heat or light. Dull or brownish material has usually been dried too hot, stored too warm, or held too long. The colour carries into the cup, so this is visible to the end customer, not just to the buyer.
The third factor is what should not be there: stalk, seed pods, sand. Ask for the specification in writing and ask what the tolerance is. Any supplier who will not put a number on it is telling you something.
