For the 1980s British children's TV series see T-Bag.
A tea bag is a small, porous paper, silk or nylon bag containing tea leaves for brewing tea. The tea remains inside the bag as the tea is brewed, making it easier to dispose of the leaves ? a function which is often made easier by attaching a string with a paper label to the top. Thus a tea bag serves the same function as a tea infuser.In countries where the use of loose tea leaves is more prevalent the term tea bag is commonly used to describe a paper or foil wrapper packaging for loose leaves. They are usually square or rectangular envelopes with the brand name and flavour printed on them, as well as interesting decorative patterns.
History
The first tea bags were made from hand-sewn silk muslin bags and tea bag patents of this sort exist dating as early as 1903. First appearing commercially around 1904, tea bags were successfully marketed by tea and coffee shop merchant Thomas Sullivan from New York, who shipped his tea bags