Tea lovers rejoice: you can now enjoy a cuppa without worrying about harming the planet.

Clipper Teas has announced the launch of a fully recyclable tea bag envelope, as well as 100% organic string on its string and tag products.

The new envelope material is made out of paper with a thin heat seal coating, making it 33% lighter and much more sustainable. Having successfully completed extended trials, the range will be rolled out across the country throughout the rest of 2019.

This comes after the Dorset-based brand, owned by Wessanen UK, released a revolutionary plastic-free, unbleached and non-GM tea bag at the end of 2018. All Clipper tea bags are now made from a natural plant-based material, including a blend of abaca (a species of banana), plant cellulose fibres and PLA – a bio-polymer derived from non-GM plant material that helps hold the paper together.

Rebecca Vercoe, Clipper Teas brand controller at Wessanen UK, said: “With natural, fair and delicious at the heart of what we do, we want to show consumers how they can make every cup count by choosing Clipper. Since we launched our plastic-free, unbleached and non-GM tea bags six months ago, we’ve been determined to keep up the momentum and make our tea even better for the environment. We’re delighted with the new sustainable solution for our enveloped range and can’t wait for it to roll out this year.”

Clipper Teas has recently acquired the B Corp certification, which recognises the company's commitment to natural, fairtrade and organic sourcing.

Cristina Ramsay, technical and CSR director at Wessanen UK, commented: “Reducing our packaging weight and increasing our recyclability is a big priority for our brands and the Clipper Teas team in Dorset have worked tirelessly on developing a more sustainable packaging solution for the brand’s enveloped range. We remain firmly committed in our mission as a business to be better connected to nature.”

The brand was also the UK's first Fairtrade tea company and celebrates 25 years of producing ethical tea this year. From its home in Dorset, Clipper creates an extensive variety of infusions, and exports its products to more than 50 countries worldwide.