In a move that will save at least 20 tonnes of metalized plastic from going to landfill or incineration each year, Clipper Teas has invested over £1 million to produce fully recyclable packaging.
The innovation has been achieved through the development of a new production line to create a specially designed box featuring a reinforced structure to lock in the taste and aroma, while also protecting the tea bags inside.
The investment has enabled the brand to remove the unrecyclable inner foil bag across its larger pack formats, making the packaging fully recyclable and suitable for kerbside collection for the paper recycling stream.
The B Corp company highlights it was the first tea company to make all its heat-sealed teabags, unbleached, non-GM, plant-based and fully biodegradable, and in 2019 it launched fully recyclable tea bag envelopes for its String & Tag Tea Bag range and has also switched the tag string to organic-certified cotton.
As a brand which stands for making ethical and sustainable choices, we are constantly challenging ourselves to minimize our environmental impact
Commenting on the move, Bryan Martins, Clipper marketing & category director at brand owner Ecotone UK, says: “At Clipper, we’re incredibly proud of our pioneering approach to making natural, fair and delicious tea. After launching our industry-first biodegradable tea bag, we were determined to keep momentum and address non-essential plastics across our ranges. It has been a priority for us as a business, and we know it’s important to consumers too.
“We have invested more than £1 million in installing brand new machinery at our Clipper factory to produce a fully recyclable box that locks in the aroma and great taste of our tea and protects the tea bags inside.
“From June onwards, we will also be replacing the inner foil bag within our Clipper smaller packs with PE film which will be fully recyclable with other household soft plastics at supermarket collection points. As a brand which stands for making ethical and sustainable choices, we are constantly challenging ourselves to minimize our environmental impact.”
Ecotone UK, which is part of The UK Plastics Pact implemented by WRAP, says it’s on track to meet its target for all packaging to be 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.
