Ethical brand Clipper Teas has announced the launch of fully recyclable tea bag envelopes as well as 100% organic cotton strings on its string and tag tea bags.
The new greener material is made out of paper with a thin heat seal coating and will be rolled out across the entire enveloped line throughout 2019. The envelope is 33% lighter and can be put into home paper recycling, making it a more sustainable option.
The move follows the Wessanen UK-owned brand’s introduction in October 2018 of the world’s first plastic-free, unbleached and non-GM tea bag. All Clipper heat-seal tea bags produced in Wessanen UK’s Dorset-based tea factory are now made from a natural plant-based material; a blend of abaca, plant cellulose fibres and PLA – a bio-polymer derived from non-GM plant material that helps hold the paper together.
“Since we launched our plastic-free, unbleached and non-GM tea bags six months ago, we’ve been determined to keep up the momentum and make our tea even better for the environment,” comments Rebecca Vercoe, Clipper Teas brand controller at Wessanen UK. “We’re delighted with the new sustainable solution for our enveloped range and can’t wait for it to roll out this year.”
Cristina Ramsay, technical and CSR director at Wessanen UK, adds: “Reducing our packaging weight and increasing our recyclability is a big priority for our brands and the Clipper Teas team in Dorset have worked tirelessly on developing a more sustainable packaging solution for the brand’s enveloped range. We remain firmly committed in our mission as a business to be better connected to nature.”
