"The Gang Gets Microdosed (With Plastic)"

It starts with the humble tea bag. For decades, tea bags were mostly paper-based. But in recent years, many big tea brands switched to “premium” bags - those silky, pyramid-shaped sachets. They look fancy. They feel modern. They brew faster. But here’s the kicker: a lot of them are made of plastic.

Not just the sachets either. Even standard paper-style bags are often sealed with polypropylene (plastic) to keep them from falling apart in hot water.

A 2019 study from McGill University found that steeping a single plastic tea bag at brewing temperature released around 11.6 billion microplastic particles into a single cup. For context: that’s like hosting Coachella in your stomach, but the lineup is just plastic shards.

Why This Matters for Your Health

So, should you panic? Not exactly. Research on the exact health impact of ingesting microplastics is still developing. But what we do know isn’t exactly comforting:

• Inflammation: Early studies suggest microplastics can irritate tissues in the body.
• Chemical Leaching: Plastics often carry additives like BPA, phthalates, and heavy metals - none of which pair well with hibiscus.
• Bioaccumulation: Microplastics don’t just disappear. They can accumulate in organs and cells over time.
• Gut Disruption: Animal studies show possible changes in gut microbiota from microplastic exposure.

The science isn’t definitive yet, but the idea of sipping melted plastic confetti probably doesn’t align with your vision of wellness.

The Environmental Ripple Effect

It’s not just your body that’s dealing with this. When billions of people brew tea daily with plastic-sealed bags, the leftovers don’t just vanish. Microplastics enter waterways, soil, and food chains. The ritual of tea, which should be about grounding and connection, ends up quietly fueling the global plastic problem.

It’s the opposite of what tea is meant to be.

How to Spot (and Avoid) Plastic Tea Bags

Here’s where things get practical. Not all tea is created equal, and not all tea bags are plastic culprits. A few tips for spotting the sneaky stuff:

1. Shiny Sachets = Suspicious
   Those pyramid-shaped, silky bags? Often nylon or PET plastic. If your tea bag looks like it belongs in a lingerie drawer, it’s probably not just paper.
2. Paper Bags Aren’t Always Pure
   Even paper-looking tea bags can contain polypropylene to seal the edges. Unless a brand states “plastic-free” or “100% biodegradable,” assume there’s plastic involved.
3. Strings, Staples, and Tags
   Some tea bags use glue or staples - both can carry non-compostable elements. Look for simple string-and-tag designs made with natural fibers.
4. Check the Brand’s Transparency
   If a company doesn’t mention how their tea bags are made, chances are they’re hiding behind “industry standard” (translation: plastic).

What TRBL Tea Thinks About It

At TRBL Tea, we didn’t set out to scare people into quitting tea bags. But we do believe in being honest about what goes into your cup - and your body. Wellness shouldn’t come with an asterisk or a hidden plastic clause.

That’s why we use PLA tea sachets instead of plastic. PLA (polylactic acid) is a plant-based material that looks and feels like those “silky” bags, but without the nylon or PET. It’s biodegradable in industrial compost settings, safe for brewing, and way better than steeping plastic shards into your mug.

So with TRBL, you get the convenience of a sachet without the microplastic guilt trip. No plastic bags, no weird additives - just tea. Because tea should be terrible in name only, not in what it leaves behind.

Conclusion: Choose What You Sip On

Tea has been around for thousands of years. Microplastics? Barely a century. Somewhere along the way, convenience snuck in and left us with plastic where it doesn’t belong.

But here’s the good news: you don’t have to settle. You can choose what goes into your body, your ritual, and your mug.

So the next time you brew, ask yourself: Am I steeping leaves, or am I steeping plastic?

At TRBL Tea, we’ll keep choosing the first option - and making tea that feels real, human, and actually good for you.

Because life’s already a little terrible. Your tea shouldn’t be.