Tea bags have gone from boring to adoring thanks to animal-shaped and environmentally friendly tea bags from Japanese hot beverage startup Ocean-Teabag.
It’s In The Bag
Modern tea bags have only been around for about a century but even so, the concept has barely evolved from the hand-sewn fabric bags patented in 1903. In fact, the one major innovation patented in 1930 – the heat-sealed tea bag – involved polypropylene plastic that melted to seal the the tea bag’s seams. That’s right, tea-drinkers, you’ve been sipping and composting plastic!
Tea’d Off
Many major tea bag manufacturers rushed to replace polypropylene plastic with safer substitutes such as corn starch beginning in 2018, following an outcry sparked by revelations that tea bags left plastic residue behind when composted.
Freudian Sip
Still, mass-market tea bags often feature bleached white strings, metal staples, and processed paper tags. What’s a “green” tea-drinker to do? Ocean-Teabag, a Japanese start-up from Toda City (just north of Tokyo) is offering an environmentally-friendly alternative that puts the guilt-free fun back into the humble tea bag.
Thirsty for eco-friendly beverage hacks? Check out Cans Do: Wildlife Enjoy Edible Six-Pack Rings!
