My Plastic-free Life - Topic: Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/ Simple:Press Version 5.2.6 Julie on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p824 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p824 I can't log in for some reason, but I wanted to post anyway because I stumbled across a brand of tea nobody mentioned here. It's called Zhena's gypsy tea. It comes in a metal cylinder with metal lid, and no individual wrappers around the tea "sachets.". The only plastic is a plastic shrink wrap band around the lid.

BUT, I also ordered a sampler tin, which turned out to be four smaller tins held together with a plastic shrink wrap sleeve. Woops.

]]> Thu, 26 Apr 2012 06:53:59 -0700 S.Assilem on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p769 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p769 In response to Clancy; if there was no plastic involved the tea would go stale and loose flavour. That's why some companies like Rishi or Republic of Tea sell theirs in tins.

]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:51:30 -0800 Megan on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p768 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p768 Just thought I would give a quick update:

 

This is the response I got from Tazo:

 

This is a very good question. I am pleased to inform you that Tazo does not utilize plastic in the production of our tea bags.

 

Lipton is basically giving me the run around. 

]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:24:13 -0800 Clancy on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p767 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p767 Adding to my note about Numi teabags, I have tried to dissect the wrapper -- not the teabag itself or the box, but the wrapper around each bag.  The outer layer is paper, but the inner surface of the wrapper is white and slick, which says plastic to my mind.  In trying to peel it apart I can see a layer of foil but the layers are very well fused and I can't get them apart.  The label states that the wrappers are made from 72% recyclable materials.  It seems they are trying to do everything right -- fair trade, organic, reusing recycled material, no shrink wrap on the box just a small piece of tape, soy-based inks.  Why spoil it with plastic in the wrapper?

]]> Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:09:44 -0800 Clancy on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p764 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p764 I recently bought Numi teabags, a luscious mint flavor, and was dismayed to see that the inside of the paper teabag has a slick coating -- sure looks like plastic to me!  Do you have information that it is not?

]]> Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:29:34 -0800 Eve Stavros on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p760 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p760 My local tea/coffee shop carries small, short-handled wooden tea spoons at a reasonable price, so I bought a few and store them in the tins with my loose tea.  There's something really satisfying about scooping the tea with that little spoon that makes the tea-brewing almost a ritual.  Plastic-free, slow tea!

]]> Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:08:46 -0800 electrofriend2000 on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p756 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p756 My Numi tea came in bags

]]> Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:11:50 -0800 S.Assilem on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p755 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p755 Holy Moly!  Thanks for posting this!  Why haven't I heard of it before?  I know loose leaf tea is best for multiple reasons, but sometimes I just want to toss an affordable tea bag in a mug, wait a few minutes and head out the door.  I liked Tetley's British blend.  Now what??  Cry

As to making loose leaf on the go - there are also biodegradable (I hope?!?) disposable papery bags you can buy and fill.  Julsie, what trouble have you had with loose leaf?  If its actual tea (as opposed to a tisane/herbal infusion) I found it helpful to get an actual "tea spoon" to measure the tea (you can get it from a good tea shop) and a tea timer.  My timer is just some little hourglasses - so cute.  If you have an iphone there are several tea-timer apps. Also, a good strainer helps.  Something large enough for the tea leaves to expand.

Is it possible to make loose leaf tea economically? 

 

Beth, have you posted about this before?  Maybe there could be a "hidden plastic" post.  Maybe if enough of us wrote the companies would stop using plastic in their bags.  Oops, I guess that means I have to write Tetley.  :(

]]> Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:08:38 -0800 Anna on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p753 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p753 Julsie,

If you have a Whole Foods in your area, they carry the organic non-plastic tea bags.

 

Good luck.

 

Anna

]]> Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:32:28 -0800 julsie on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p752 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p752 I've bought Numi tea before because it was organic and fair trade (though I don't think that applies to their entire product line).  My packages don't have that statement, but I'll look next time I'm at the store.  I've tried loose-leaf tea in the past, and never had good luck with it.  Hopefully I can find plastic-free tea bags!

]]> Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:52:12 -0800 electrofriend2000 on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p745 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p745 I found a brand at my grocery store called Numi. It doesn't come wrapped in plastic. The back of the box states that their bags do NOT contain GMO corn or plastic. The box is printed with soy ink. The kind I got was fairtrade and organic. It tasted good too!

]]> Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:17 -0800 Beth Terry on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p737 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p737 Well, I see that the link didn't work.  So just go to Etsy.com and search for "muslin tea bags"

]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:30:37 -0800 Beth Terry on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p736 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p736 Eve, great idea. Also, if you don't want to make your own reusable muslin tea bags, there are quite a few Etsy sellers who make them. Then, you can continue to buy bulk tea but steep it in a tea bag.

http://www.etsy.com/search/han.....e?q=muslin tea bags&view_type=gallery&ship_to=&min=0&max=0

]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:27:15 -0800 Eve Stavros on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p735 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p735 You can also make your own little drawstring teabags out of unbleached muslin or organic cotton, then just rinse them out when you empty them.  I've made several for use when I travel, and they hold up really well w/repeated usings. 

]]> Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:02:20 -0800 Megan on Tea http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p734 Plastic-free Alternatives http://myplasticfreelife.com/forum/plastic-free-alternatives/tea/#p734 So far I have heard back from Bigelow, Salada, Mighty Leaf, and Tetley.  Bigelow gave me a generic reply but I'm not sure if I was as direct with my questioning as I was with the others. So I will write them again to confirm. 

Salada said this:

We have nothing using plastic with any of our products, tea bags or packaging. 

 

Mighty Leaf said this:

Thank you for your message and your interest in our products.  Our tea pouches are created from corn starch derived PLA (poly lactic acid) and they are compostable in municipal/industrial compost facilities according to ISO, ASTM and EN regulations. As such, it is not recommended for use in typical backyard composting due to the lack of high temperature and inconsistent conditions.  All of our tea pouches are made entirely of PLA so there is no plastic used in their composition.  The cello wrap is made from biodegradable wood pulp and the foil wraps are made from foil, paper and a small amount of plastic so since you are attempting to avoid plastic I would recommend our 15 count boxes rather than the 100 count boxes since the 15 count box teas are cello wrapped.  The 15 count boxes are just color printed cardboard with no plastic added so those can definitely be recycled.

 

Tetley said this:

According to our manufacturer, the paper is a plain paper consisting of a specially selected blend of cellulose and thermoplastic fibers.

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