Tea Branding & Packaging Sazio Japan
An earthy, inviting tea brand that invokes sweet satisfaction.
PROJECT SCOPE
Naming
Branding & Identity Design
Packaging Design
Illustration
CHALLENGE
To bring a nuanced tea ceremony forward into modern life, infused with the founder’s unique Italian-Japanese identity.
OUTCOME
A warm, inviting brand that invokes the sun-drenched countryside, and luxurious tea packaging that inspires ritual and timelessness.
01 | The Company
Carving Out Time For Tradition
Sazio Fine Teas are the antidote to hurried, modern life. Made from the finest green tea leaves available, meticulously fermented and dried, these are not quick morning brews, but strolls through wild gardens with bare feet and sun-drenched skin.
Made in small batches and harvested by hand in Japan, the craft and ritual of the ceremony start long before the tea ever reaches the table.
Etsuko Amano's ritual fondness for tea is deeply rooted in her unique identity.
Her grandfather was a Japanese tea merchant who emigrated his family to Lucca, Italy, in 1936, and her father was an Italian vintner from Florence. She grew up drinking the finest teas, blooming with flavor and earth. Etsuko says, "Our family tea ceremony was as essential as Sunday mass."
Life was simple, unhurried joy until she left for university and moved abroad; life became fast, and she lost the tradition.
After 20 years, Etsuko has found her way back.
02 | The Identity
Earthy, Delicate, Tasteful
Early conversations about the founder's childhood were filled with sweet remembrances of family life, food, and nature. Her father was known to lean back in his chair after Sunday dinner and declare "sono sazio," a feeling of deep satisfaction.
The word Sazio is visually pleasing, sounds great rolling off the tongue, and has a cadence similar to Etsuko's mother tongue. It's a beautiful homage to her father.
04 | The Identity
Earthy, Sensuous, Tasteful
Early conversations about the founder's childhood were filled with sweet remembrances of family life, food, and nature. Her father was known to lean back in his chair after Sunday dinner and declare "sono sazio" or "I'm satisfied."
The word Sazio is visually pleasing, sounds great rolling off the tongue, and has a cadence similar to Etsuko's mother tongue. It's a beautiful homage to her father.
03 | Tea Packaging
Textural, Elegant, Earth-Friendly
Tea packaging designs for Sazio build upon understated luxury. Abstract watercolors combine textures, mottled colors, and layers, much like the flavors of the teas. They are a patchwork of landscape and delicate ornamentation.
We chose packaging materials that could be recycled or re-used. The labels and boxes are made from recycled papers, featuring a small amount of cold foil stamping, and the company offers loose tea refills for the canisters.
I had an idea about what I wanted our packaging experience to feel like, but couldn't envision the look. I tried a couple of other firms, without much success, before engaging with Michele. Her steady guidance, thorough process, and creative output has brought expression to my aspirations perfectly.
Etsuko Amano, Founder Sazio Fine Teas of Japan
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