In this article, we want to talk a bit about tea bags. Okay, you might not prefer tea bags, but what if one day your preferences change? Not only your preferences change. Believe it or not, even the bag that holds the tea has a quality class. Zero waste projects, a sustainable world, socially responsible investments—companies are heading in completely different directions now. But our topic is tea. We decided to give you a brief and informative education about the bag that holds your tea leaves.
In 1908, a group of tea leaves, whose intention was to unfold and brew in water like any other tea, found themselves born as tea bags due to a misunderstanding of a cost-cutting tactic by a merchant named Thomas Sullivan, akin to a Frankenstein experiment.
The teas sent in small silk bags were supposed to be cut and transferred to a teapot, but they were misunderstood and brewed as is with their bags. In fact, isn't it true that most beneficial things are discovered by accident anyway?
Although the idea didn’t appeal to those who believed that brewing tea should take time and effort, it became very popular due to its practicality. However, the story doesn’t end here. Those tea leaves are not in silk bags anymore. Unfortunately, silk is much more valuable today. Increasing the speed of tea infusion without compromising its quality and ensuring the bag material doesn’t overshadow the tea’s flavor are very important.
Filter paper is one of the most well-known and low-cost tea bag materials. Because it’s opaque, you can’t see the quality of the tea inside without tearing the bag and spilling the tea. Usually, what you drink from such tea bags are the leftovers after quality leaves have been harvested. So, in this case, tea bags aren’t the culprits of poor quality; they merely hide it visually.
Muslin tea bags, on the other hand, are favorites among herbal tea lovers. They don't spoil the tea, are durable, and preserve nice flavors. Naturally, they are also costly, which is reflected in the price.
When it comes to tea bags that appear silky, they are actually made of plastic, some of which are food-grade nylon or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, their melting points are ~250°C and are generally not considered harmful to health. Yet, studies in the Atlantic have shown that the molecules of these plastics start to break down at lower temperatures (~76°C), releasing toxins from the bags.
A silky tea bag is desirable because it showcases the quality of the tea. But could there be a silky tea bag without polyethylene terephthalate (PET)? Yes, there could.
Polylactic acid (PLA) is something we’ll hear a lot about in the future; it’s one of the biopolymers. It could even replace plastic, and we can say we predicted it. PLA doesn’t have the health issues associated with PET plastic. This polymer is made from corn cobs. As we said, biopolymers will increasingly become a part of our lives. There are other biopolymers too, but our favorite is PLA (due to our work). Because it is derived from corn cobs, it is a "biocompostable" material. Every new piece of information about this material will make you love it even more. For example, when a biocompostable material starts to decompose, it returns valuable nutrients back to the soil, trees, and nature.
But is everything about the material? Does the shape of the tea bag matter?
Of course, it does. It’s against the laws of physics otherwise. Don't say no way; you’ll understand the seriousness of this as you shake your tea. Travel all around the world, collect as many different brands of tea bags as you can, shake them all, even get so many tea bags that you need help from your friends and family, everyone get involved, tear and shake, and then do it again and again. After trying all the brands, you’ll become a full-time tea expert at home. After your enlightenment, you’ll see that every tea bag, like a mother’s child, is different from one another. The rectangular ones love their old traditions but are not closed to new things; they prefer a simple life and don’t like to be too ambitious. The round ones, however, seem to argue that inner beauty is what matters, love being quirky, are as friendly as they are messy. The pyramid ones, on the other hand, are true taskmasters, ready to provide everything beneficial using the advantage of their shape; they are selfless and helpful. You don’t get upset with them and easily accept their retirement. They gently release the hot water inside without burning everything around. Truly, the pyramid shape is a blessing for tea lovers.
I wanted to briefly share our knowledge about tea bags. We hope you give tea bags a chance, if only to not be rude, now that you know them better.