logo & packaging design

KAGUWA

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KAGUWA is a tea brand specialized in Japanese pure black tea. Japanese black tea is an emerging beverage specialty, with its flavours characterised by subtle body and rich aroma, nutured by the geography and craftsmanship of Japan.

The branding and packaging design started from re-looking at what is essentially Japanese. Looking too ‘traditional’ has been intentionally avoided, to respect the fact that black tea originates from the West. The result aims to balance the look between Japanese and Western.

KAGUWA believes in ‘pure’ black tea—tea without flavouring ingredients. To express the philosophy, the design is kept minimalistic, with only necessary decoration and processing.

A petite, curvy can has been chosen, to which a 'tag' with the tea name is attached in a way that it gives an organic curve. Given that e-commerce is the main sales channel, it was important that the silhouette is distinctive even when displayed as a small thumbnail image.

The logotype is designed with large counters and curvy lines, made to subtly remind the aesthetics of hiragana letters.

To express the aroma of tea, the names of traditional Japanese colours are picked as a naming system that the tea sommelier can utilise to for the seasonal tea selections.