Tea Term Tuesday: Fannings – The Little Leaf Bits That Just Don’t Measure Up 🍂☕

At its core, tea is a celebration of flavor, tradition, and ritual. Yet, not every part of the tea world lives up to this ideal. One of the most common—and often overlooked—aspects of tea production is the use of fannings. These tiny particles of tea leaves are a staple in mass-market tea bags, but they’re far from the high-quality tea experience many people expect.

This Tea Term Tuesday, we’ll explore what fannings are, how they became so widespread, and why loose-leaf tea offers a better, richer, and more sustainable alternative. If you’re curious about what’s really in your cup, let’s dive in.

What Are Fannings?

Fannings are the smallest fragments of tea leaves, often described as the “crumbs” of the tea production process. To understand how fannings come about, it helps to look at how tea is processed:

1. Harvesting and Withering: Fresh tea leaves are picked and spread out to wither, which reduces moisture and makes them pliable for the next steps.
2. Rolling and Cutting: The leaves are rolled or cut to break their cell walls, allowing natural oils and flavors to develop.
3. Sifting and Sorting: At this stage, the tea is separated into different grades. Whole leaves are reserved for high-quality loose-leaf tea, while smaller fragments and dust—fannings—are sorted out as lower-grade material.

Fannings are particularly common in black tea production, where their small size allows for a fast, bold infusion. However, this convenience comes at the expense of quality. Unlike whole leaves, fannings lack the depth and complexity that make tea such a nuanced beverage.

Why Do Fannings Exist?

The widespread use of fannings isn’t accidental. It’s driven by efficiency, cost, and changing consumer habits. Here are the key reasons why fannings have become so prevalent in the tea industry:

1. Minimizing Waste: Fannings are a natural byproduct of tea processing. Historically, they were discarded, but over time, producers realized they could repurpose these fragments to create a more affordable product. By using fannings, tea companies reduce waste and increase profits without investing in higher-quality leaves.
2. Quick Brewing Times: Fannings brew faster than whole leaves because their small size exposes more surface area to hot water. For people who want tea on the go, this speed is appealing. Instead of waiting several minutes for whole leaves to steep, fannings deliver a quick infusion in under a minute.
3. Strong, Simple Flavor: Fannings produce a bold and intense brew, which appeals to those who prefer strong black tea—especially when adding milk and sugar. However, this strength often comes at the cost of subtlety. The tea lacks the balanced, layered notes of high-quality loose-leaf options.
4. Traditional Tea Bag Design: Most tea bags are designed to hold fannings, not whole leaves. The flat, single-use bags commonly used in mass-market tea aren’t large enough to accommodate whole leaves, which need space to expand and infuse properly. Fannings are small enough to steep efficiently in these confined spaces.

The Downsides of Fannings

While fannings offer speed and affordability, they fall short in many other areas. Here’s a closer look at the key drawbacks:

1. Lack of Flavor Complexity: Whole tea leaves deliver a spectrum of flavors that evolve as the leaves steep. Floral, fruity, earthy, or smoky notes come together to create a multi-dimensional cup. Fannings, on the other hand, release all their flavor at once, often resulting in a one-note, bitter brew.
2. Faster Oxidation: Fannings have a larger surface area relative to their volume, which makes them more susceptible to oxidation. Oxidation degrades tea’s natural oils and flavors, meaning fannings lose their freshness much faster than whole leaves. Over time, they become stale and dull.
3. Bitterness and Astringency: Fannings release tannins quickly when steeped in hot water. Tannins are natural compounds that contribute to tea’s structure and mouthfeel, but in excess, they create a bitter, astringent taste. With fannings, even a few extra seconds of steeping can make the tea overly sharp.
4. Lack of Visual and Sensory Appeal: One of the joys of brewing tea is watching whole leaves unfurl in hot water, releasing their aromas and colors. Fannings, hidden inside opaque tea bags, lack this visual magic. Instead of a mindful ritual, the process becomes purely functional.
5. Environmental Concerns: Many tea bags used to hold fannings contain plastic or other non-biodegradable materials. These single-use products contribute to environmental waste. By contrast, loose-leaf tea can be brewed using reusable tools like metal infusers or teapots, making it a more eco-friendly choice.

Fannings vs. Loose-Leaf Tea: A Side-by-Side Comparison

If you’re wondering whether loose-leaf tea is worth the switch, here’s a direct comparison:

Why Loose-Leaf Tea is Worth Exploring

Switching to loose-leaf tea can transform your tea experience. Here’s why it’s worth giving it a try:

• Better Flavor: Loose-leaf tea delivers more depth, balance, and variety of flavors compared to fannings.
• Multiple Steeps: Loose-leaf tea can be re-steeped multiple times, giving you more cups of tea from the same leaves. With each steeping, the flavor evolves, revealing new notes and layers that make the experience even more rewarding.
• Mindful Brewing: The process of steeping whole leaves can be a calming ritual that turns tea drinking into a moment of self-care.
• Sustainability: By avoiding single-use tea bags, you reduce waste and make a more eco-conscious choice.
• Customizable Steeping: With loose-leaf tea, you have more control over how strong or light you want your brew. Adjusting steeping times or amounts of tea allows for a personalized experience.

Final Thoughts

Fannings may dominate the tea market, but they represent a compromise on flavor, freshness, and sustainability. Understanding what’s in your cup is the first step to discovering tea’s full potential. Loose-leaf tea—with its rich flavors, visual beauty, and eco-friendly nature—offers a tea experience that’s as rewarding as it is delicious.

Plus, with loose-leaf tea, you get more value from each brew. The ability to re-steep your leaves means you can enjoy multiple cups of tea from a single serving—something fannings simply can’t match.

At Moody Teas, we use only loose-leaf tea because it offers a more sustainable, economical, and flavorful cup—one that invites you to slow down, savor, and enjoy the full story of tea.

So, the next time you brew a cup, ask yourself: Do you want a quick, one-note fix, or a thoughtful, flavorful journey?

What are your thoughts on fannings? Have you tried switching to loose-leaf tea? Share your experiences and tips—we’d love to hear your tea stories! ☕✨