jphilippo said

Help with packing & packaging

Hey lovely people of Steepster,

I’ve been following this forum for quite a while but have never contributed myself…until now.

I’m wanting to start selling teas at markets and events and so i’ve sourced all the ingredients and have perfected the blends, i’m now onto the 2nd stage of packaging and this is where I have hit a bit of a wall.

I’m wanting to put the tea in nylon teabags however it seems to do so, I can purchase the teabags but I’m needing to heat seal them which looks like it requires rather fancy machinery that I cannot afford, I was wondering if anyone has done this by hand as I’m looking to purchase an ordinary heat sealer however I don’t know if this will essentially burn the teabag or if you recommend I outsource this and seek a manufacturer to do it. The other issue I have found is that to find a UK based retailer of nylon teabags is rather difficult and it keeps on leading me to alibaba – though the website itself is great, i’m essentially wanting to find a stockist in Europe to save on transport costs and taxes, would any of you recommend anyone that sells bulk nylon or mesh teabags.

If anyone has any advice on setting up a tea company in terms of managing ratios of ingredients, packaging, licencing ALL ADVICE IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

All the best

Jared

6 Replies

Sell looseleaf instead and avoid the whole issue? I don’t know much about tea bags.

cookies said

That seems like the best idea, honestly. You could always buy those paper filters and sell them (or gift a few) along with your teas for people who don’t have the proper equipment at home.

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I like Starfevre’s comment.

Alternatively, perhaps cloth teabags? Something biodegradable would probably win you some points too. If you’re handy with a sewing machine, I imagine teabags would be super easy to stitch up. Or tea socks!

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Did you manage to find a solution? You could try the drawstring type teabags. I have not found a direct supplier but a friend used eBay a few times…
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/321503509844?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

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You can buy “press-n-seal” bags and close them with a hair straightener :-)

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teafrazer said

Curious to know the route you took for packaging your tea?

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