Tea is England’s top drink, even though it hails from India. Most problems can be solved with a proper pot of tea! Ideally, use loose leaves and a real teapot (recent advice is to bin the leaves to break down, as caffeine may harm creatures in compost bins. NHS advises pregnant/nursing women drink no or minimal caffeine (no more than 2 cups of tea a day or 1 cup of weak coffee).
These organic cotton reusable tea bags have strings long enough to use with mugs or a teapot. Rinse and reuse a couple of times then wash with biodegradable washing-up liquid and rinse/line-dry (wash after each use if you use milk). Every so often, soak the bags in a mix of 1 part white cleaning vinegar to two parts water (then rinse).
Choose brands without plastic packaging. There is a lot of greenwash around biodegradable tea bags, Hampstead and Clipper teas are two of the few brands that truly offer sustainable packaging. Choose organic brands so that tea pickers in hot countries don’t have to wear protective clothing. Serve with plant milk, lemon or vegan honey!
Always serve tea in a nice cup, but avoid bone china cups and teapots. These really are from abattoirs, and ruin the whole tea-drinking experience. Choose good ceramic or recycled pottery. Brew your tea and then have a good chinwag with your tea-drinking friends!
These natural cotton tea bags are washable, made from natural linen. Choose from one to three parcels, each one has inspirational quotes to inspire your day.
This reusable silicone tea strainer works in a similar way, and is very long-lasting. Silicone is made from a blend of sand and some fossil fuels, but it does not break down into millions of microplastics, and is easily recycled. One purchase should last years.
reusable tea strainers
This loose leaf tea infuser allows water to circulate to allow flavours to infuse well. Made from quality food-grade stainless steel, this is durable and rust-free. Just hook the strainer onto the end of your mug with the innovative retracting opening/closing mechanism, making it easy to add or remove tea.
This reusable tea strainer is made from stainless steel (easily recycled) and has handles on both sides to make it easier to lift, to help avoid hot water scald. The fine mesh filters give mess-free tea from the smallest tea leaves, and the wide mouth and handle are perfect to rest in mugs, cups or tea pots. After use, wash and wipe to last around 20 years. For stains, just dissolve baking soda in warm water, then softly scrub.