In India, tea equals time. | It is a symbol of relationships. In order to create a culturally sustainable brand, tea becomes the conduit for culture. The brand expresses the resonance of those relationships. Each application of the brand was created in India, by local craftspeople. Assisted by Indian cultural scholars, we traveled to Delhi to commission local designers and craftspeople. We asked them to share the story of tea through letters, art and craft. The brand as rich and surprising as the culture it expresses.

  • Traditional sign painters were commissioned to depict cultural scenes in which tea played an important role. The original paintings on reclaimed metal travel to different retail locations as exhibits.

    Chaiwallahs pull chai in train stations. Lovers meet over tea. In Kashmir, special chai blends are used to treat everyday colds.

  • Wholesale collateral are reproductions of Indian stories of tea’s cultural importance. Most are screen-printed in India without altering the the original (with the exception of the printer choosing an ink color).
    Small cards for point-of-purchase display have authentic chai recipes and more short stories about tea in India.
    Amateur photographs of of tea culture throughout the country are printed as postcards and sent to distributors, wholesalers and retailers.
    The presentation envelope is screen-printed on handmade Indian paper.

  • Point-of-purchase kiosks are built using traditional materials. They were engineered and fabricated in Dehli. Each display is unique.

  • The posters have been adapted to packaging for authentic chai masalas. The packages are covered with information about chai in India. Customers can purchase posters that are painted to order and shipped directly from Old Delhi.

  • These are food service teapots designed in collaboration with traditional coppersmiths in Old Delhi. The proportions are based on tea leaves.

  • Our Indian liaison in Delhi suggested the sign painters make hand-painted
    t-shirts. We had no idea what to expect until they arrived. Rather than being sold, they are gifts for wholesalers, distributors and retailers.

  • These chai baskets are used by chaiwallahs in the streets of Delhi. We brought them back from India and introduced them as retail products.