Our Materials
When it comes to enjoying your favourite cup of tea, the materials used in the tea bag and its packaging play a crucial role in both the brewing experience and environmental impact. At Good Earth, we’re committed to transparency and sustainability, ensuring our products deliver quality while minimizing their footprint.
In this guide, we’ll explore the key materials used in our tea bags and packaging, why they’re chosen, and how you can responsibly dispose of them. From compostable teabags to recyclable cartons, every material has a purpose designed to protect the freshness of your tea and the planet.
When it comes to enjoying your favourite cup of tea, the materials used in the tea bag and its packaging play a crucial role in both the brewing experience and environmental impact. At Good Earth, we’re committed to transparency and sustainability, ensuring our products deliver quality while minimizing their footprint.
In this guide, we’ll explore the key materials used in our tea bags and packaging, why they’re chosen, and how you can responsibly dispose of them. From compostable teabags to recyclable cartons, every material has a purpose designed to protect the freshness of your tea and the planet.
| Material | Where It's Used | Why We Use It | How To Recycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperboard | Outer Carton | Lightweight, durable, and protects tea bags from physical damage and light. Helps maintain freshness. | Recyclable via paper recycling bins. Ensure the carton is clean and free from non-paper materials. |
| BOPP | Inner Pouch | Provides excellent moisture and air barrier, maintaining tea freshness. | Recyclable at supermarket flexible plastic collection points. Follow the OPRL label indicating "Recycle with Bags at Large Supermarket.". |
| PLA | Teabag & String | Plant-based, biodegradable, and ensures the teabag remains intact while providing high-quality infusion. | Compostable via industrial food waste systems. Avoid home composting due to the need for high decomposition temperatures. |
| Paper | Teabag Tag | Biodegradable and supports the compostability of the entire tea bag setup. | Dispose along with the teabag and string. |
How to Compost PLA Teabags:
1. Understand the Composting Requirements
PLA teabags are industrially compostable, meaning they need the high temperatures and controlled conditions found in industrial composting facilities. These facilities ensure PLA breaks down fully into natural materials without leaving microplastics.
2. Check Local Composting Options
- Food Waste Collection Bins: If your area offers industrial composting via food waste bins, simply place the used PLA teabags in your food waste.
- Municipal Composting Facilities: Contact your local waste management to confirm if they accept PLA in their composting system.
- Do Not Home Compost: Home compost systems don’t reach the high temperatures (around 55–70°C) required to decompose PLA effectively.
3. Preparing Teabags for Composting
Before composting:
- Remove Any Non-Compostable Parts: Ensure there are no staples, plastic tags, or nylon strings attached (ours string and tea tag can be composted with the teabag). Only the PLA bag and tea should go into the food waste or compost bin.
- Empty the Contents if Necessary: For better decomposition, you can open the teabag and spread its contents before disposal.
4. Why PLA Needs Industrial Composting
- Temperature: PLA requires consistent high temperatures (above 55°C) for several weeks to break down.
- Microbial Action: Industrial facilities provide optimal microbial environments to accelerate decomposition.
- Moisture and Aeration: Controlled humidity and airflow further assist in breaking down the material efficiently.
5. What Happens Next?
In an industrial composting facility, PLA teabags will break down within 12 weeks into carbon dioxide, water, and organic matter, leaving no harmful residues.
At Good Earth, we believe that enjoying your favourite cup of tea should come with peace of mind. By choosing sustainable, thoughtfully designed materials, we’re taking steps toward reducing our environmental impact without compromising on quality. From recyclable cartons to compostable teabags, every component is carefully considered to protect both your tea and the planet.
We’re constantly exploring new ways to innovate and improve. Together, let’s brew a better future, one cup at a time.