The Answer:

A thrifty tea merchant from New York named Thomas Sullivan is credited with inventing the first tea bag in 1908.

Looking to save money, Sullivan reportedly distributed small samples of tea in silk bags instead of little metal tins.

It wasn't until after he saw restaurant and coffee shop owners brewing the entire bag of tea leaves that he realized the potential of his actions.

For more information, check out Stash Tea: The History of Tea and Bigelow's Tea History.

—The Editors