Are Tea Bags Compostable?

Compostable tea bags have been a long debated topic. In this article we uncover all the confusion surrounding this topic as well as break down all the different factors for the bag materials.

The quick answer: some the bags are compostable and some aren’t. The longer answer—as it often is—is complicated.

Tea leaves decompose in compost. If you drink only loose-leaf tea, you can toss them in your heap without issue.

That doesn’t hold true for tea bags.

Many tea companies use natural plant fibers in their tea bags. Big box brands mainly choose hemp fibers and cellulose, which comes from wood pulp and plant materials.

However, tea companies often seal the bags with thermoplastics. Many tea bags claim “99% biodegradability” but include a “small amount of plastic”. This non-biodegradable material doesn’t belong in compost.

You can find alternatives, though. Qiful Life uses only natural fibers and applies a unique “folding design” to eliminate the need for plastic sealants.

Is the Plastic in Teabags Bad?

Many tea drinkers feel alarmed when they find out they’ve been putting plastic into boiling water and drinking it regularly. The plastic may only exist in small amounts, but these concerns still make sense.

Microplastics pose various health risks, with the average person consuming between 39,000 and 52,000 particles a year. These plastics also harm the environment. That 1% of non-biodegradable material in a tea bag may not sound like much, but the world drinks over 7 billion kilos of tea a year. Most of those tea drinkers use tea bags.

That adds up to a lot of discarded plastics.

Common Tea Bag Materials (and Whether They Belong in Compost)

No one uses a universal standard for tea bags. Manufacturers choose different materials—some decompose and others don’t:

• Polylactic Acid (PLA): PLA breaks down but not in home composts. Only industrial composts can process it.
• Nylon: Cheap and effective, but it doesn’t decompose.
• Natural Fiber Composites: Made from various plant-based fibers like hemp, these teabags break down in compost.
• Plastic: Common and cheap, but it doesn’t decompose.
• Paper: Not as durable, but very cheap and compostable.

Some bags include a mix of the above, such as natural fiber bags sealed with thermoplastics and staples. These don’t belong in compost.

Home Compost vs. Industrial Composting

We mentioned that PLA breaks down in industrial composts but not at home. So what’s the difference?

Industrial composting controls heat, temperature, and mineral content to create ideal conditions. These facilities pre-process waste (e.g., shredding or mixing) and monitor it for efficiency.

At home, you rely on the natural environment. Waste may take months to break down, and products like PLA teabags may never fully decompose.

Avoid PLAs and other plastics in your home compost. Also skip rotten meat and fish. While they break down, they attract pests and vermin. Stick to household waste (including food scraps), natural tea bags (and tea), grass cuttings, and leaves.

How to Compost Tea Bags Properly

Used tea leaves work great in home compost heaps. They provide minerals—like potassium and nitrogen—that increase nutrient levels and enrich your compost. They also add moisture, which can speed up decomposition.

Before you compost tea bags, check the packet for materials. Use the list above as a guide: compost only natural fibers and materials, and avoid bags with plastic, metal staples, or other non-degradable elements. You may also need to remove strings, tags, and stickers.

Set used tea bags aside and wait for them to cool before tossing them into your compost heap.

Signs a Tea Bag is Not Compostable

If your tea bag looks pure white and feels slick, it probably won’t break down in compost.

Unbleached, natural teabags usually include strings with small staples. They appear off-white and have no artificial smell or surface. The string often breaks down in compost, and paper tags do too, but remove plastic tags and metal staples first.

The label can also help. Brands that use unbleached, natural teabags often highlight that fact on their packaging.

Producers want to protect the environment—but sustainability also sells—so they’ll let you know when they’ve made an eco-friendly choice.

If you don’t see any such claims on the label, the bag probably won’t break down in compost.

Greener Alternatives for Tea Lovers

You can buy compostable teabags, but as the above guide shows, identifying compostable options isn’t always easy. Some sustainable brands still include small amounts of plastic.

Don’t stop at the tea bag itself. Many tea brands individually wrap bags in plastic or seal boxes with it. If you drink tea daily, that creates a lot of non-biodegradable waste.

You could also switch to loose-leaf tea. It tastes better, offers higher quality, and raises no sustainability concerns. With a good infuser, it’s just as convenient as tea bags. Plus, every gram of tea you use can go into compost.