Contrary to popular belief, tea doesn't grow in bags. They're leaves and flowers. People brewed these leaves for thousands of years for fragrance and medicinal purposes. For several centuries these have evolved into beverages. Tea is essentially an infusion placed into very hot water. A tea infuser is a device in which loose tealeaves are placed for brewing, usually in a cup; it is often called a tea ball or tea maker, and sometimes a tea egg. Its use became popular in the 18th century. It remains the purest way to create the most flavorful tea from your own choice of leaves. This washable mesh ball uses osmosis to transfer the teas characteristics in a pure form. The mesh is fine enough to strain the tea so you only get the flavor while the leaves remain in the ball. 1-3/4 inch diameter.