Hello Harney Customers,
It's been a while since we've provided you with an update, so without further ado:
Here at our production facility in Millerton, we have made good progress in our transition to replacing our nylon material for our teas packaged in sachets. We're pleased to say that 92.5% (Updated 1/31/24) of our sachets are now using a sugarcane based material. The list of teas that are not using the sugarcane material are:
- Hot Cinnamon Spice, Decaf Hot Cinnamon Spice, Green Hot Cinnamon Spice, Herbal Hot Cinnamon Spice
- Chamomile
- Organic Green with Citrus & Ginkgo
- Yellow & Blue
- Peppermint
- Organic Turmeric & Ginger
- White Peach Matcha, Very Berry Matcha, Roasted Buckwheat Matcha
We are still trying to figure out how to switch these remaining blends over and hope that in a few months we will be at 100% sugarcane sachet production.
The plant-based material we are using comes from sugarcane grown in Thailand. The sugarcane is fermented and bacteria eats the fermented sugar making lactic acid which is converted into a fiber that creates the mesh that holds in the tea but allows the liquid tea to flow to you. So all sugar is converted and none remains in your sachets material, making it safe for diabetics and those concerned with sugar intake.
The sugarcane sachets are compostable, but in full transparency, it will not decompose well in your compost pile out back. This material needs more heat than a home compost pile can provide, in order breed enough bacteria to digest it. We have commissioned a study with the Cary Institute to see if we can solve this problem.
We want to clarify that we are using very little petroleum-based nylon at this point. Any microparticles that might be released by the sugarcane material are digestible by your body, unlike in your compost heap.
20 comments
Gerry Hornstein
I love your teas! My all time favorite is Black Currant and my newest favorite is Celebration! Other favorites are Dragon Pearl Jasmine, Caribe and White Vanilla Grapefruit. I wish you would offer more teas in sample packets. It is a great way to try the teas.
I love your teas! My all time favorite is Black Currant and my newest favorite is Celebration! Other favorites are Dragon Pearl Jasmine, Caribe and White Vanilla Grapefruit. I wish you would offer more teas in sample packets. It is a great way to try the teas.
Christina
I really appreciate your recent update. I’ve been removing the tea bags, because I thought they were plastic.
So encouraging! Thanks for limiting your plastic use. We’re all doing our part, and it’s huge that a company the size of yours is doing the same.
I really appreciate your recent update. I’ve been removing the tea bags, because I thought they were plastic.
So encouraging! Thanks for limiting your plastic use. We’re all doing our part, and it’s huge that a company the size of yours is doing the same.
Katie
Thank you for making your sachets out of cane sugar and not corn. As someone with a corn allergy, being poisoned by tea bags is not fun.
Thank you for making your sachets out of cane sugar and not corn. As someone with a corn allergy, being poisoned by tea bags is not fun.
Jayme
SUCH a fan of your teas (especially Hot Cinnamon Sunset & decaf), so I’m delighted to hear you’re working towards 100%—thank you!
SUCH a fan of your teas (especially Hot Cinnamon Sunset & decaf), so I’m delighted to hear you’re working towards 100%—thank you!
Gail Scott
Glad to hear that you are almost done replacing the plastic material used in your sachets with one that won’t leak microplastics into our beverages. Thank you especially, for removing the descriptions of your sachets as “silky” (which confused people who thought they were made of silk.) As I’ve asked in the past, can you make it easier for your customers to find out this information? I corresponded with your customer service (and received a reply from your Mike Harney) in Feb. 2021 asking you to clearly tell customers what sachets are made of. I suggested in your FAQ and in product descriptions. This information helps customers like me decide whether to buy loose tea, tea bags, forgo a purchase available only in sachets. I’ve been avoiding all of your sachets for years waiting for this information to be on the packaging. In addition, your blog post updates are hard to find. IF I search for this information on your web site with keywords, the blog posts do not come up. This was true in 2020 & 2021 and is still true in 2023. My searches result in: “no results found.” (Keywords like: “sachet material” “nylon” what are sachet’s made of" & similar). I only know to look through your blog posts titles, because of my research several years ago.
Glad to hear that you are almost done replacing the plastic material used in your sachets with one that won’t leak microplastics into our beverages. Thank you especially, for removing the descriptions of your sachets as “silky” (which confused people who thought they were made of silk.) As I’ve asked in the past, can you make it easier for your customers to find out this information? I corresponded with your customer service (and received a reply from your Mike Harney) in Feb. 2021 asking you to clearly tell customers what sachets are made of. I suggested in your FAQ and in product descriptions. This information helps customers like me decide whether to buy loose tea, tea bags, forgo a purchase available only in sachets. I’ve been avoiding all of your sachets for years waiting for this information to be on the packaging. In addition, your blog post updates are hard to find. IF I search for this information on your web site with keywords, the blog posts do not come up. This was true in 2020 & 2021 and is still true in 2023. My searches result in: “no results found.” (Keywords like: “sachet material” “nylon” what are sachet’s made of" & similar). I only know to look through your blog posts titles, because of my research several years ago.
Michelle Moore
I really appreciate your change of materials to safeguard our health and protect the environment. I had stopped buying the teabag varieties year’s ago because they were plastic. I’m so happy to be able to resume enjoying your teas now.
I really appreciate your change of materials to safeguard our health and protect the environment. I had stopped buying the teabag varieties year’s ago because they were plastic. I’m so happy to be able to resume enjoying your teas now.
Georgia Weindling
This is great news!!
This is great news!!
Daniel
Of course my tin is from 2022…I wonder why you chose to go this route instead of fabric or paper?
Of course my tin is from 2022…I wonder why you chose to go this route instead of fabric or paper?
Sonia
I am so glad to be able to find this information. Props to the company for keeping everyone up to date throughout the saga.
I am so glad to be able to find this information. Props to the company for keeping everyone up to date throughout the saga.
Robbye Mohn
I’m very happy to hear about the compostable nature of your tea bags as I ordered 2 flavors: Earl Grey supreme & Paris. Once open, I wondered about the sustainability of the bags, which is how I wound up here!
Thanks for thinking of the future and our kids/grandkids…
I’m very happy to hear about the compostable nature of your tea bags as I ordered 2 flavors: Earl Grey supreme & Paris. Once open, I wondered about the sustainability of the bags, which is how I wound up here!
Thanks for thinking of the future and our kids/grandkids…
Valley View
Thanks so much for this! I am a new customer, had some of your delicious tea recently at an afternoon tea, and wanted to understand what you are using in your sachets. Placing my first order.
Thanks so much for this! I am a new customer, had some of your delicious tea recently at an afternoon tea, and wanted to understand what you are using in your sachets. Placing my first order.
Jeanette Dulley
Thank you for your dedication to being part of the solution to our environmental concerns. Your excellent customer service is sincerely appreciated. Your teas are a delightful treat. My husband’s original picks were English breakfast and Paris. They’re still favorites of mine!
Thank you for your dedication to being part of the solution to our environmental concerns. Your excellent customer service is sincerely appreciated. Your teas are a delightful treat. My husband’s original picks were English breakfast and Paris. They’re still favorites of mine!
John anderson
Glad to hear that work is being done on the problem. My compost pile will be happy
Glad to hear that work is being done on the problem. My compost pile will be happy
Christine Kleinegger
I just bought my first tin of Harney & Sons (Dragon Pearl Jasmine). I’ll be cutting up the sachets, but have a 3-bin multi-year compost system so am not worried about rate of decomposition. Glad to know it can be composted.
I just bought my first tin of Harney & Sons (Dragon Pearl Jasmine). I’ll be cutting up the sachets, but have a 3-bin multi-year compost system so am not worried about rate of decomposition. Glad to know it can be composted.
Thelma Ibarra
I love this tea usually order one every time I go to the popular bookstore , I am happy that you company is changing the sachet bags to a safe one , is very appreciate
I love this tea usually order one every time I go to the popular bookstore , I am happy that you company is changing the sachet bags to a safe one , is very appreciate
Abigail
I recommend adding an update to your old blog post to point here, as many people there are asking: https://www.harney.com/blogs/news/sachet-material-update
I recommend adding an update to your old blog post to point here, as many people there are asking: https://www.harney.com/blogs/news/sachet-material-update
Wendy Gouine
I really appreciate your efforts at sustainable sachets! Keep up the good work. PS Paris is our favorite black tea EVER! cheers.
I really appreciate your efforts at sustainable sachets! Keep up the good work. PS Paris is our favorite black tea EVER! cheers.
jina
glad to hear you folks are working on this problem with the Tee sashays. That is the only complaint I have about your product. I love all of the tea flavors that I have purchased in the past.
glad to hear you folks are working on this problem with the Tee sashays. That is the only complaint I have about your product. I love all of the tea flavors that I have purchased in the past.
Lisa
Wow, I never knew that sachets were made of nylon. I was always impressed with them, thinking they were snazzy, not killing me with petroleum. Thank you for taking care of us.
Wow, I never knew that sachets were made of nylon. I was always impressed with them, thinking they were snazzy, not killing me with petroleum. Thank you for taking care of us.
Joanne (Jaye) Knox
This is amazing stuff for me to read about one of the companies I consider my ‘special treats’ places. (side note: love your teas!) Well done, Harney and Sons. Well done, indeed.
This is amazing stuff for me to read about one of the companies I consider my ‘special treats’ places. (side note: love your teas!) Well done, Harney and Sons. Well done, indeed.