In her new work Tea Party, Wollongong artist Liz Jeneid celebrates the Aussie cuppa while spreading an important message about sustainability.

Jeneid recycled used Bushells tea bags to create a series of 55 sculpted paper cups of tea, inviting the viewer to reflect on occasions where they have shared cups of tea with loved ones.

''People come in and they get it straight away. They see it as quite humorous. It's something they can really relate to in their everyday lives, sharing cups of tea with friends,'' the head of Textiles at ANU and exhibition curator, Valerie Kirk, said.

''Yet when it's made in this form and set in the gallery, it highlights that as an activity that we really take for granted in our lives.''

Tea Party is part of a travelling exhibition, the Australian Biennial of Textiles Momentum show at the ANU School of Art Gallery.

''... Textiles technology moves at this incredible rate with very advanced machinery, yet many textile artists are going back to making things which are very obviously hand-made,'' Kirk said.

The Australian Biennial of Textiles Momentum show is at the ANU School of Art Gallery, Acton, from today to August 1.