Turn old tea leaves into environmentally friendly products

From old tea leaves discarded after harvest, a group of students from Chu Van An High School for the Gifted (Lang Son province) have created a series of environmentally friendly products such as essential oils, perfumes, straws, biodegradable cups and plates.

Turning by-products into useful products

The idea of ​​"Orgash - Green and Sustainable" of this group of 5 students did not come from the lab but from the field. The group's surveys in the tea growing areas of Dinh Lap, Loc Binh, Binh Gia ( Lang Son ) showed a problem: Each harvest, people have to cut off a large amount of old and immature tea leaves.

Team leader Phan Hoang Mai Anh

Meanwhile, basic analysis shows that old tea leaves contain very high levels of natural essential oils, bioactive substances and polyphenols. This is a valuable source of raw materials for creating value-added products. From that awareness, Team Leader Phan Hoang Mai Anh and her group of friends saw an opportunity to turn discarded by-products into useful products such as straws, cups, plates, etc.

"Even seemingly worthless things, if processed properly and creatively, can become green products," Mai Anh shared.

To create straws, cups, and plates from tea leaves, the team had to solve a challenging technical problem. Tea residue after extracting essential oils has a high fiber content, and is prone to cracking if pressed directly. The team repeatedly tested the formula for mixing natural adhesives and tested different pressing temperatures to create a material that is both durable and completely biodegradable.

Orgash's current closed process consists of 3 main stages: Extracting essential oils using two methods: steam distillation and cold pressing, which helps to preserve biological activity. Processing tea residue by drying, grinding, mixing, and sterilizing steps. Pressing and shaping products into straws, spoons, cups, bowls, plates, and disposable boxes. Thanks to that, the products do not need preservatives, do not contain plastic, and do not release microplastics into the environment. After use, they can decompose in the natural environment after a few months, returning to the soil as organic humus.

Research team members

According to Team Leader Mai Anh, Orgash products have passed independent testing for food safety and health with the following criteria: no heavy metals, no toxic chemicals, no irritation, no residue in food and drinks. This makes the product a suitable alternative to plastic in the restaurant and tourism service sector. Currently, the product is sold at startup festivals in Lang Son province and through online sales channels.

Group of students and teachers at the startup competition

Instead of considering old tea leaves as waste, the group has turned them into products, creating income for tea growers. "The project has started purchasing tea by-products at some locations, helping farmers increase their income, reduce agricultural waste, create jobs in the collection, processing, and packaging stages; and enhance the Lang Son tea brand. From only selling dried tea or fresh raw tea, people now have more profit from the part they used to throw away," Mai Anh said.

Towards OCOP certification and green tourism

Orgash does not only make products from tea grounds. The essential oil extracted from green tea is used to produce green tea perfume and hair growth spray. The product has the characteristic scent of Lang Son tea, cool, not the strong smell of synthetic essential oils.

Orgash’s prospects are not limited to the scale of a startup project. The group is completing documents to register OCOP products - local specialty products. In addition, the tea experience model, visiting tea hills and practicing making straws from tea residues has been proposed as a direction for green tourism development. Tourists can both visit tea hills and make their own products from the tea leaves they harvest.

Straws made from green tea leaves have a light scent, creating a pleasant feeling.

The goal that Mai Anh and the group members are aiming for is not only to sell products but also to contribute to changing consumer habits, from using disposable plastic to green products. "The group wants to create responsible consumption habits. Buying a green straw is not just buying a product but choosing a way of life," Mai Anh said.

With creativity and responsibility to the environment, Orgash has achieved many achievements in startup competitions such as: First prize in the "Students with Startup Ideas" contest at Lang Son province level 2024. Third national prize in the "SV Startup 2025" contest chaired by the Ministry of Education and Training.

The project "Orgash - Green and Sustainable" shows that environmental solutions do not necessarily have to start with high technology, large capital or grand media campaigns.

Sometimes, it starts with seeing value in small things like an old tea leaf. With their creativity, young people are contributing to changing the way we live, produce and consume.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/bien-la-che-gia-thanh-san-pham-than-thien-voi-moi-truong-20251124210856414.htm