How to test whether a teabag has polyester fibres or not, without waiting for it to compost?

Question

Some teabags are made (or partially made) of polyester fibres, and stay intact in compost after everything else has broken down.

Is there a quick way to test whether a teabag contains polyester, as compared to paper (and cotton, when a thread with a tag is attached)?

Are there any other non-biodegradable materials used in teabags, such as nylon?

it should be pretty evident if you light it on fire. Polyester fibers will melt and drip, cotton and other natural fibers will not. — That Idiot, Jan 29 '18 at 18:16
@ThatIdiot Not a bad idea... probably best to do it outside, and take care not to breathe the smoke... — Highly Irregular, Feb 04 '18 at 21:27

score 5 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 04 '18 at 19:28

5

At the risk of suggesting something too obvious: contact the manufacturer.

Hats off to Wendy from Moral Fibres for doing some research on this: http://moralfibres.co.uk/is-there-plastic-in-your-tea/

answered Feb 04 '18 at 19:28

Richard Lane

1 Answers1