Clipper launches plastic-free teabags made from banana

The new move will make the tea bags more eco-friendly
Duncan Davis/Getty Images
Olivia Tobin1 November 2018

Tea giant Clipper are to launch a new plastic-free teabag that will be made from a type of banana.

The green alternative is part of the company’s ambition to lower its carbon foot print and reduce the environmental impact of its tea products.

A number of leading tea brands currently use polypropylene, a sealing plastic, to fasten tea bags and make sure they keep their shape.

Clipper announced that, as of October 20, it has moved all production to a new type of tea bag that, instead of the plastic polypropylene seal, will use natural plant-based materials.

The tea bags will be made using a blend of abaca, which is a species of banana, and a biopolymer made from a non-GM plant material known as PLA.

The new bags will also be biodegradable and compostable to industrial standards, making them more eco-friendly.

The tea company, one of the UK’s biggest, is believed to be the first brand to introduce a plastic-free tea bag.

Other leading companies, like PG tips and the Co-op, said earlier this year they both plan to switch to biodegradable tea bags by the end of the year.