Clipper Teas Tea Bags
Unbleached paper bag with an organic cotton string - but the heat-seal is PLA, a bioplastic marketed (contentiously) as "plastic-free."
The verdict: Minimal plastic contact
The bag paper is a blend of abaca and plant cellulose - but the mainstream "pillow" bag is heat-sealable because PLA is blended in as the sealing fibre. In 2018 Clipper swapped the oil-based polypropylene seal for PLA and called it "the world's first plastic-free tea bag." PLA is a plant-derived thermoplastic - still a plastic - so this sits at minimal-contact: mostly paper, with a bioplastic in the steep path rather than a starch or a fold-seal. It's materially better than a solid PLA or nylon pyramid, but the "plastic-free" framing is why independent commentators pushed back and why UK guidance nudged the industry to say "plant-based / biodegradable" instead.
What it's made of
| Part | Material | Food contact |
|---|---|---|
| filter bag abaca + plant cellulose paper - unbleached | Paper | Yes primary 🔥 |
| heat-seal fibre PLA (plant-derived bioplastic) blended in to make the bag heat-sealable - the plastic in an otherwise paper bag | PLA polylactic acid, "bioplastic" | Yes incidental |
| string organic certified cotton (string-and-tag lines) | Cotton | No |
| tag | Paper | No |
Clipper is a UK organic and Fairtrade tea brand. Its standard bag is an unbleached paper "pillow" style; a separate string-and-tag line exists. Clipper has built much of its marketing around a "plastic-free" tea bag.
Pros
- Unbleached paper with an organic cotton string on the string-and-tag lines
- PLA is at least plant-derived and industrially compostable, unlike the polypropylene it replaced
Cons
- The heat-seal is PLA - a bioplastic, so the bag is not actually plastic-free despite the marketing
- PLA is industrially compostable only (not home or environmental) and still sheds micro/nanoplastics when steeped
- No independent PFAS/fluorine testing of Clipper bags was found
Notes
- Clipper's separate string-and-tag line reportedly uses a wood-cellulose binder without PLA and could rate higher - but that needs per-SKU confirmation; the common heat-seal bags are the PLA ones
Common questions
Does the Clipper Teas Tea Bags have plastic in it?
Yes. On the Clipper Teas Tea Bags, the heat-seal fibre is plastic and sits in the food path. The rest of what touches your food is paper.
What is the Clipper Teas Tea Bags made of?
Part by part, the Clipper Teas Tea Bags is: filter bag — paper; heat-seal fibre — PLA; string — cotton; tag — paper.
Categories: Tea Bags
Sources
Every material claim above is backed by these. This is the scattered info we centralized.
- manufacturer https://www.clipper-teas.us/about/our-sustainability/ states the PLA composition of the heat-seal bag, the organic cotton string, and the "plastic free" wording
- review https://bioplasticsnews.com/2018/11/08/tea-company-claims-pla-is-not-plastic/ independent critique that PLA is a plastic, disputing the "plastic-free" claim
Spot a mistake or something out of date? Let us know — corrections are how this stays accurate.