A lot of tea bags are made from plastic.
What happens when you let those bags seep in hot water?
Tiny plastic particles leach out of the bag and into your water… And you end up drinking microplastic tea.
We researched a bunch of tea companies to bring you a list of brands that use plastic-free tea bags (and some of the ones that don’t).
I’ll also tell you about why you may want to be careful about tea bags that are made of “plant-based plastic” or “bioplastic.”
What this guide covers:
- WHY Do Tea Bags Contain Plastic?
- Don’t Get Duped by Greenwashing
- Some paper tea bags still contain plastic components.
- Beware of “bioplastics.”
- “Biodegradable” doesn’t always mean “plastic-free.”
- PLA is the most common bioplastic used by tea companies.
- These Brands Use 100% Plastic-Free Tea Bags
- These Tea Brands Didn’t Quite Make the Cut
- Or, Just Go With Loose Leaf Tea!
This guide contains product recommendations and we may receive compensation if you purchase through certain links. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine!
Apparently 51% of tea drinkers in the U.S. exclusively use tea bags to make their brews. An additional 20% use mainly tea bags, and another 20% drink use tea bags and loose leaf equally.
That leaves less than 10% relying on loose leaf tea.
According to these statistics, most U.S. tea drinkers are unintentionally ingesting the microplastics that leech into their hot water.
According to a 2019 study, steeping one plastic tea bag at brewing temperature can shed 11.6 billion microplastics and 3.1 billion nanoplastics into your cup.
Although we still don’t have very much data about the direct impacts microplastics may have on human health, they have been linked to heart attack, stroke, and early death. In animal studies and other types of research, microplastic exposure has been linked to things like insulin resistance, disrupted immune function, endocrine disruption, impacted reproductive health, and cancer.
Not to mention the impact microplastic pollution has on oceans, wildlife, and the ecosystem at large. One 2023 analysis found there were an estimated 82-358 trillion plastic particles in the ocean.
WHY Do Tea Bags Contain Plastic?
There are a few different ways tea bags can use plastic:
- The bag itself can be made of plastic. (Especially those mesh pyramid tea bags… You can kind of tell just by the feel that they’re plastic!)
- A paper tea bag can have a plastic lining.
- The bag can be sealed with plastic glue to keep it closed.
The most common type of plastic used in tea bags is polypropylene, but they can also be made from nylon, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or other types of plastic.
Don’t Get Duped by Greenwashing
Here are some iffy things to watch out for when you’re shopping for tea bags that are truly plastic-free:
Some paper tea bags still contain plastic components.
You’ll find that many of the plastic-free tea bags below use paper made from either wood pulp and/or abaca (which is a plant in the banana family).
BUT you’ll want to be careful because even paper bags can still use plastic for the bag lining and/or for the glue that holds the bag together.
Beware of “bioplastics.”
I have mixed feelings about bioplastics.
Bioplastics are essentially plastic materials that use plants for their raw material instead of petroleum. So for example, plastic can be made from things like castor oil, sugar cane, or potatoes.
While these plastics are probably better than conventional, petroleum-based plastics, we don’t actually know that much about them. We don’t know how toxic the manufacturing process is. We don’t know if they contain any of the same plastic additives that conventional plastic does.
In general, my take on bioplastics is that they should be used as a sort of “last resort.” In some contexts (such as with toothbrushes or swimwear), when bioplastics are one of the only options we currently have, then I think we should go with that.
But when we have better choices that are truly natural and non-toxic, then I think we should probably choose those options instead.
In the case of tea bags, there are several great brands offering truly 100% plastic-free options. So personally, I would skip the bioplastics when possible, especially considering the fact that we’re talking about ingestion here.
“Biodegradable” doesn’t always mean “plastic-free.”
I’ve seen some tea bags (primarily ones made from “bioplastics”) advertised as “biodegradable,” but you have to be careful here.
This can get a little complicated, but there is no legal definition of biodegradable. And biodegradable does not always mean compostable.
Sometimes things can still take years to “biodegrade,” and even then, it actually just breaks down into smaller pieces.
You can read more about this issue right here.
But the point is: If you see something marketed as “biodegradable,” you still want to look more into it to find out what exactly the tea bag is actually made out of.
PLA is the most common bioplastic used by tea companies.
To bring more clarity on the last two points, let’s talk specifically about PLA, which is the most common type of bioplastic you’ll see used by tea brands and advertised as “environmentally-friendly.”
First, PLA is only biodegradable under pretty extreme conditions, like anaerobic digestion or industrial composting. You can’t just throw it in your backyard compost and expect it to be gone in 6 months (or even 10 years).
This is where you’ll see the most greenwashing happening in the tea bag world. Countless brands cite their tea bags as “plastic-free” and made out of plant-based material (such as Soilon or “cellulose-based material”).
Soilon is made from 100% PLA. Yes, it is technically “plant-based,” but it’s also a bioplastic that’s just not as good of an option as unbleached paper.
Here are a few brands that market themselves as plastic-free, but are made from plant-based plastic like Soilon or PLA from corn starch/cellulose:
- We Are Tea
- Brew Tea Company
- Teatulia
- Bird & Blend Tea Co.
- Teapigs Tea Temples
- T2 Pyramid Tea Bags
- Big Heart Tea Co.
- The Tea Spot
- Rishi
- Mountain Rose Herbs
As I mentioned before, PLA can be considered a “step up” from traditional tea bags made from petroleum-based plastic.
However, PLA is often marketed as a compostable option, which is not entirely accurate. Most of these tea bags are only industrial compostable. Are you really going to separate our your empty tea bags and send them in to an industrial compost facility?
These Brands Use 100% Plastic-Free Tea Bags
These are the best plastic-free and sustainable tea brands to enjoy the benefits of tea without the concern of microplastics.
Stash
Stash Tea’s website states that their tea bags are free of plastics and instead made of unbleached 100% wood fibers. Their filter paper is machine folded and pressed, held together without any glues or plastic sealants. They’re completely compostable and don’t contain any plastic.
All of their teas are GMO-free and some of them are certified organic. They have a wide variety of options—black, green, oolong, herbal, decaf, loose leaf, etc.
The Republic of Tea
The Republic of Tea’s tea bags are made without individual plastic packaging and come in a recyclable metal tin.
Their website states that their eco-friendly tea bags are made from unbleached tea paper without any excess strings, tags, wrapping, or staples. The paper bags contain no chlorine-containing compounds or glue.
They have a LOT of choices. Whatever kind of tea you might be looking for—they probably have it. Energizing teas, sleepy-time teas, chocolate teas, loose leaf teas, etc. Some of their teas are certified organic and some are not.
They also have limited edition themed collections, like Bridgerton and Hallmark Channel Christmas!
You can also get all of your tea accessories as well, including iced tea accessories, kettles & pots, and more.
Abbie’s take: I’ve had so many of their varieties over the years. I personally love their Downton Abbey collection during the winter/holiday season!
Traditional Medicinals
Traditional Medicinal says their tea bags are made of wood pulp combined with GMO-free and Rainforest Alliance certified abaca (which is a plant of the banana family). They’re 100% plastic-free.
They use double-chamber bags to eliminate the need for chemical sealants or glues. They use a cotton string and FSC-certified paper tags to make them BPI-certified compostable.
Traditional Medicinals is a Certified B Corp and California Certified Green Business, which basically means they prioritize ingredient purity, sustainability, and ethical manufacturing throughout their supply chain.
Although not ALL of their products are organic, many of them are. They also use a lot of Fair Trade certified ingredients.
Celia’s take: This is my mom’s go-to tea brand, so it’s what I grew up on. Cup of Calm is my favorite!
Abbie’s take: I end up drinking this brand all the time because it’s carried in a lot of grocery stores. It’s super easy to just grab whenever you’re out shopping for other things. The Organic Chamomile & Lavender is my go-to. I drink it a lot of nights! They also have lozenges, and I’ve bought their Belly Comfort ones several times.
Yogi
I was really glad to find out this brand is plastic-free simply because it’s so popular and readily-available in stores.
Yogi’s tea bags use non-heat sealable filtration paper from abaca fibers and wood pulp. The paper contains no plastic and is naturally bleached by oxygen. Aside from the metal staple used to seal the bag, they can be composted.
Yogi’s general approach is guided by Ayurveda, an ancient healing philosophy that prioritizes holistic solutions in wellness. They sell over 40 tea blends with efforts to support sustainability, quality, and social responsibility throughout their manufacturing process.
Many of the ingredients they use are certified USDA Organic and Project Non-GMO Verified. They also say they regularly test for heavy metals.
Abbie’s take: I have been drinking Yogi teas since high school! A few of my personal favorite flavors are Bedtime and Ginger.
Numi
Numi’s tea bags are made of unbleached manila hemp fiber without any plastic. The tags are made using soy-based inks and 100% recycled materials, and the strings are made with cotton. They’re biodegradable in a normal compost heap and use a natural oxygen process instead of bleach to whiten the tea bags.
Their tea bags are non-GMO verified and meet the highest safety standards in the EU.
Numi Organic Tea prioritizes sustainability in each cup, using no synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, GMOs, or preservatives to protect both the consumer and the workers from exposure to harmful chemicals.
Bromley
Bromley uses wood pulp for their tea bags. Rather than using glue, they heat-seal their bags shut to eliminate any microplastic concerns.
When I reached out to Bromley to get more clarify in their tea bag materials, they told me “Our teabags do not contain plastics of any kind.”
This tea brand was apparently the first in America to offer naturally decaffeinated tea. They have a variety of flavors to choose from for tea lovers of all kinds.
365 & Allegro
Both of these brands are owned by Amazon / Whole Foods.
I’m slightly hesitant to add them to the list of plastic-free tea bags, but I’ll just tell you what they said and you can decide for yourself:
“Our 365 and Allegro tea bags are made of unbleached wood pulp, and the bags are heat pressed with no glue or adhesive.
A small amount of resin is used in the processing of our 365 and Allegro tea bags, but there is no resin present in the final product.”
So you’re probably safe with these.
Shop 365:
Shop Allegro:
These Tea Brands Didn’t Quite Make the Cut
Pukka:
Their bags are almost plastic-free. They are made from a paper blended from abaca, wood pulp, and “plant cellulose fibers” (I would like to know what type of cellulose they’re talking about). They do use “a tiny amount of resin (<1%)” to hold the paper fibers together together.
Hampstead Tea:
Many of their bags are plastic-free. They use unbleached paper from wood pulp, organic cotton strings, and the stitch method instead of glue to keep the bags closed. However, two of their tea bags do contain plastic: the Early Grey and Green Tea & Jasmine tea envelopes. These both have a thin plastic coating to prevent organic bergamot oil from escaping the bags. So if you want to buy from this brand, as long as you avoid those two flavors, the coast is clear.
Rishi:
They use PLA. So again, while it’s probably better than conventional, petroleum-based plastic, it’s not the best option. (See above for more info.)
Earth Mama Organics:
Earth Mama tea bags are made from wood pulp and abaca but they use thermoplastic fibers for the heat seal.
Mountain Rose Herbs:
While this brand is a great option for high-quality loose leaf tea, their tea bags are made from starch-derived PLA.
Lipton:
I couldn’t get much info about Lipton. (It might be worth noting that Lipton is owned by PepsiCo, which is one of the worst plastic polluters in the world.)
I wasn’t able to find any information about Lipton’s tea bags on their website. When I reached out to them, they told me that “Lipton Quality Black and Intense (traditional tea bags) are made from Manilla hemp and cellulose fibres. They are compostable but not recyclable.”
But that’s just one type of tea they sell. When I asked about a different tea bag product (Decaf Cold Brew Black Iced Tea Family Size Tea Bags), they gave me a non-answer. When I followed up, they said they couldn’t give me an answer and they would have to escalate my question to another department.
So all things considered, I personally wouldn’t go with Lipton if you want a a tea bag that you can trust is actually plastic-free.
Twinings:
Twinings’ website states that they use an industrial compostable corn starch-derived bioplastic material.
However, this 2020 study from the University of East Anglia investigated Twinings (among other tea brands) to see whether or not their tea bags contained plastic. They found that Twinings tea bags contained polypropylene, a non-biodegradable plastic. (You can watch a video of the experiment here—it’s pretty eye-opening!)
In June of 2022, Twinings directly spoke to Country Living, stating that 99% of their range is either loose-leaf or composed of plant/cellulose-derived material.
So overall, Twinings is another tea bag brand I’d mark as “questionable.”
Tetley:
No, Tetley tea bags are not plastic-free. According to their website, their tea bags are “99% biodegradable” but contain a small amount of plastic to keep their bags sealed.
Additionally, the same study mentioned before from the University of East Anglia found that the Tetley tea bag released the most microplastics out of all the tea brands they tested. They found that Tetley’s tea bag contained 30% polypropylene.
Harney & Sons:
No, Harney & Sons is not plastic-free. They have been slowly transitioning away from nylon and have been switching to a sugar cane-based bioplastic instead.
So, again: definitely good progress, but it’s still not the best option.
Celestial:
No, Celestial’s tea bags are not plastic-free. They use some polyethylene.
Or, Just Go With Loose Leaf Tea!
Navigating the world of hidden plastics and bioplastics in your tea can get complicated. So here are some great loose leaf tea options for foolproof plastic-free tea.
Some of these brands sell 100% certified organic teas, while others offer teas that are grown using organic methods but are not all certified. (Many times, small tea farmers simply cannot afford the cost of certification.) Check the details and FAQs if you want something certified organic.
The Tea Spot (skip their tea bags; they’re made from bioplastic)
Mountain Rose Herbs (skip the tea bags; they use bioplastic)
Pique: I (Abbie) personally really like Pique’s Ceremonial Grade Matcha, which you can get either in a sachet or a tin (which is what I usually buy). It’s triple-toxin tested for things like mycotoxins (mold) and heavy metals.
The sachets are not plastic-free, but the tea is powdered, so you don’t steep it. You just pour it from the sachet into your hot or cold water. So while this isn’t the most low-waste tea option, I do like it for traveling. You can just throw a couple of sachets in your bag and easily make tea wherever you are.
Here’s what Pique told me about their sachets:
“The sachets are made from aluminum and plastic composite (BPA free). We have tested out several packaging options in the past, but we have found that our aluminum sachets are the only effective way to fully protect our teas from moisture, light, and oxygen while producing a smaller environmental footprint than a teabag (plastic or bleached paper) and wrapper (aluminum and plastic composite like our sachets).”
Did we miss your favorite tea brand? There are obviously a lot of tea brands out there, so let us know in the comments and we’ll check it out and consider adding it to the list!
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