tea bags were first used in the uk as early as 1903.
tea bags were first used in the uk as early as 1903.
when were tea bags first used in the uk?
as early as 1903
the first modern tea bags in the western world were hand-sewn fabric bags; tea bag patents date as early as 1903. first appearing commercially around 1904, tea bags were successfully marketed about 1908 by the tea and coffee importer thomas sullivan from new york, who shipped his silk tea bags around the world. the loose tea was intended to be removed from the bags by customers, but they found it easier to brew the tea with the tea still enclosed in the porous bags. the first tea bag packing machine was invented in 1929 by adolf rambold for the german company teekanne.
tea bag
traditionally, tea bags have been square or rectangular in shape. more recently circular and tetrahedral bags have come on the market and are often claimed by their manufacturers to improve the quality of the brew. environmentalists prefer silk to nylon because of health and biodegradability issues. another material for tea bags is soilon (pla mesh), made from corn starch. empty tea bags are also available for consumers to fill with tea leaves themselves. these are typically open-ended pouches with long flaps. the pouch is filled with an appropriate quantity of leaf tea and the flap is closed into the pouch to retain the tea. such tea bags combine the ease of use of a commercially produced tea bag with the wider tea choice and better quality control of loose leaf tea.
tea bag