Innovia Films has announced that Oregon-based ECOTEAS is using NatureFlex packaging films in the wrappers of its individual tea bags. The flexible packaging material is derived from wood pulp sourced from managed plantations and is certified to be over 90 percent bio-based and home and industrial compostable. High barriers to oxygen and moisture work to ensure the tea bags contained within are protected and kept fresh. When laminated to paper, the final structure offers the protection and natural appearance that ECOTEAS was looking for.

ECOTEAS received the Sustainable Food Trade Association’s national “Responsible Packaging Award” in 2012 for the use of 100 percent post-consumer recycled paperboard in its cartons. This recognition led to continued development of the “greenest” tea packaging possible. To extend its sustainability efforts to the entire tea bag line, the brand removed the tags, strings and staples, and introduced the new tea bag overwraps. The result was a 100 percent zero-waste package, with all ingredients and packaging components suitable for composting (tea, filter paper and wrapper) or recycling (carton), according to the brand.

Stefan Schachter, founder and president of ECOTEAS enthused, “We believe that business must be an engine for positive change. That’s why we founded ECOTEAS in the first place. We want to do our part to eliminate the waste created by our society. We believe these steps are critical for the wellbeing of current and future generations.”

The new packaging was unveiled earlier this month at the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, Calif.

Joseph Chermesino, ECOTEAS' creative director states, “Our new packaging generated a great deal of buzz at the Expo. Everyone who visited our booth expressed enthusiasm and gratitude for our new Zero-Waste tea bag line. The quality of the material, the high functionality and the compostability all earned outstanding marks.”

Jake Hebert, marketing coordinator at Innovia Films comments, “We are proud to be working with brands that have a true passion for sustainability. NatureFlex assists in ECOTEAS’ mission to extend the ethos of the company to its packaging.”