What Are Tea Bags Made Of? | The Toxic Truth

Bleach, glue, microplastics - these are what you're drinking when you steep tea from conventional paper, plastic, or nylon tea bags. While it's important to know what's inside your tea bag, it's equally important to question what materials your tea bags are made of. These conventional tea bags are causing serious harm to our health and our planet, which is why Us Two Tea only uses non-toxic corn-fiber tea sachets that are 100% biodegradable. Don't let a toxic tea bag cancel out the goodness of tea. Read on to make better informed, health-conscious choices.

What are most tea bags made of? 

Tea bags are most commonly made of bleached paper, plastic, or nylon, and they are sealed with glue and other chemicals. When exposed to hot water, plastic and nylon tea bags release 11 billion microplastics in a single serving. The microplastics, bleach, glue, and chemicals from these tea bags go straight into your body and the earth when thrown away or mistakenly composted. 

Paper, plastic, and nylon tea bags

Harmful effects of paper, plastic & nylon tea bags

Harmful effects on your health:

Drinking tea from paper, plastic, and nylon tea bags can cause behavioral defects, developmental defects, and reproductive health issues. In one week, the average person consumes 5g of plastic - that's the size of a credit card! A seemingly harmless cup of tea can add to this plastic consumption and cause long-term health defects.

Harmful effects on our planet:

Most paper, nylon, and plastic tea bags are not 100% biodegradable and cannot be composted or recycled. When thrown away, the microplastics and toxic chemicals from these tea bags seep into the soil, which contaminate our food, and they also pollute our water systems and oceans.

How to avoid the harmful effects of tea bags

- Buy tea brands that are transparent about what their tea bags are made of. It's impossible for you to judge the material yourself
- Not all pyramid tea bags are the same. Us Two Tea's corn-fiber tea sachets are pyramid shaped, but so are many plastic and nylon tea bags
- Drink loose leaf tea. If you're unsure about the material of the tea bag, drink loose leaf tea using a non-toxic pot, tea strainer, or infuser

Now that you know, spread the word. Most of us overlook tea bags, but your daily cup of tea could be harming your health and our planet. Make sure you check what materials are used in your favorite tea bags and never trade your health for convenience.