Editing Melitta (section)

==History==
[[File:Melitta teapot.png|thumb|This Melitta [[teapot]] was the model for the [[Utah teapot]] 3D rendering, a ubiquitous object in early computer graphics research]]
In 1908, Melitta Bentz, a 35-year-old woman from [[Dresden]], Germany, invented the first coffee filter, receiving a patent registration for her "Filter Top Device lined with Filter Paper" from the Patent Office in Berlin on 8 July. She founded the company bearing her name the same year.<ref>[http://www.melitta.com/melittahistory,159.html Melitta History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529223458/http://www.melitta.com/melittahistory%2C159.html |date=2013-05-29 }}, Melitta.com</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Total banal - genial!|url=http://www.spiegel.de/einestages/alltagserfindungen-a-947032.html |work=Spiegel Online |date=29 May 2008 |access-date=6 October 2015 }}</ref><ref name="Siems_2015"/>

In the 1930s, Melitta revised the original filter, tapering it into the shape of a cone and adding ribs. This created a larger filtration area, allowing for improved extraction of the ground coffee. In 1936, the widely recognized cone-shaped filter paper that fit inside the tapered filter top was introduced. The '102' became the most popular.<ref>{{cite web|title=Diese 15 Zahlen haben eine Geschichte: Kaffeefilter 102 |url=http://www.bild.de/ratgeber/2015/ratgeber/zahlen-mit-geschichte-allgemein-41043414.bild.html |work=BILD.de |date=25 May 2015 |access-date=6 October 2015 }}</ref>

During [[World War II]], Melitta paused production of coffee filters to work with the [[Nazism|Nazis]] to produce military supplies as part of a "National Socialist model plant."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-09-05 |title=Overlooked No More: Melitta Bentz, Who Invented the Coffee Filter |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/obituaries/melitta-bentz-overlooked.html |access-date=2025-04-25 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Between 1941 and 1945, the [[Concordia Porzellanfabrik]] was used by Melitta.<ref name="Ruisinger_1994"/> In 1951/1952 and 1957/1958, the Porta-Keramikwerke J. Brauers in Barkhausen at Porta Westfalica, Germany produced ceramic<!-- but not porcelain --> filters for Melitta.<ref name="Spiegel_1962"/> {{ill|Langenthal Porzellan|de|Porzellanfabrik Langenthal}} once also produced porcelain filters for Melitta.<ref name="Schweingruber_2023"/> The [[Porzellanfabrik Friesland]], founded in 1953 as part of the German Melitta group,<ref name="Siems_2015"/> and independent since 1991/1995, produced Melitta porcelain filters up to 2018. Since then, they continue to sell these filters under their own Friesland label,<ref name="Friesland_2018">{{cite web |title=Vom "Melitta" Kaffeefilter zum "Friesland" Kaffeefilter |language=de |trans-title= |date=2018-06-26 |publisher=[[Friesland Versand GmbH]] |url=https://frieslandversand.de/inspirationen/kaffeegenuss/vom-melitta-kaffeefilter-zum-friesland-kaffeefilter |access-date=2023-02-28 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228214816/https://frieslandversand.de/inspirationen/kaffeegenuss/vom-melitta-kaffeefilter-zum-friesland-kaffeefilter |archive-date=2023-02-28}}</ref> whereas Melitta itself switched to produce these filters in China.

Melitta continued to develop new techniques to improve the shape, performance, material and production process of its filter systems. In 1989, Natural Brown coffee filters made from unbleached pulp were introduced, which kept unwanted by-products from leaching into the environment.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jolly |first=R. D. |last2=Thompson |first2=K. G. |last3=Winchester |first3=B. G. |date=1975 |title=Bovine mannosidosis--a model lysosomal storage disease |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/100 |journal=Birth Defects Original Article Series |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=273–278 |issn=0547-6844 |pmid=100}}</ref> In 1992 Melitta developed an oxygen-bleaching process to produce white paper without chlorine. 

In 1996, the [[Miele]] Group established the [[Dongguan]] factory as a joint venture with Melitta, which became fully owned by Miele in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Production sites |url=https://www.miele.com/en/com/china-dongguan-factory-2315.htm |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=www.miele.com}}</ref>

In 1997, Melitta developed a filter with Flavor Pores, microfine perforations that filter out unwanted sediment, particles and oils{{Clarify|date=September 2018|reason=surely adding pores lets more, not less, through?}}. In 2002 Melitta added a second safety crimp to increase strength and durability. In 2007 bamboo Filters were introduced and the Flavor Pores filter was improved.

{{As of|2015}} Melitta Group KG employed 3,300 people.<ref>{{cite web|title=10 everyday things invented in Germany #5: The coffee filter |url=http://www.dw.com/en/10-everyday-things-invented-in-germany/g-18582961 |work=Deutsche Welle |date=15 July 2015 |access-date=13 September 2018}} (Select 5th item)</ref>

In the 2019 financial year, the group's turnover increased by 10 percent to almost 1.7 billion euros.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Melitta Geschäftsbericht 2019 - Home |url=https://report.melitta-group.com/geschaeftsbericht-2019/ |access-date=2022-05-11 |website=Melitta Geschäftsbericht 2019 |language=de-DE}}</ref> The number of employees grew to 5654.<ref>Hinweis in: [[Westfalenpost]] vom 18. August 2020, Seite ''Wirtschaft''.</ref>

In April 2020, Melitta announced that the company would be manufacturing nose and face masks as part of the [[COVID-19]] pandemic. The masks consist of a three-layer fleece and are produced worldwide. Melitta donates the first million masks to healthcare facilities.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-04-25 |title=Melitta stellt ab sofort Millionen Atemmasken her - Melitta Corporate Site |url=https://www.melitta-group.com/de/Melitta-stellt-ab-sofort-Millionen-Atemmasken-her-3659.html/ |access-date=2022-05-11 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425095918/https://www.melitta-group.com/de/Melitta-stellt-ab-sofort-Millionen-Atemmasken-her-3659.html/ |archive-date=25 April 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>