The design for the tea package was influenced by many elements, such as the rich history of Twinings, the shape of the hexagon, the colours and the additional shapes that are placed in a hexagon. Through all of these elements, the package reflects nature and the idea of creating an environmentally friendly product that is elegant and unique.
As an environmentally friendly product, it was important to reflect nature in the design and the materials used to make the package. All of the materials used in creating the product are recyclable. The paper used in the design is recycled paper; clear acetate lid and the glue are all biodegradable.
Hexagons are one of the most common shapes in nature. They are considered one of the building blocks of our natural world. Hexagons are found everywhere from bees’ honeycombs to soap bubbles. The hexagonal pattern is prevalent in nature due to its efficiency and sturdy structure. Twinings’ tea bags’ design uses the hexagon to reflect the efficient nature of the shape and to represent nature itself. When the individual teas in the package are used up the costumer can used the box to store jewelry and other knickknacks. The clear lid allows the consumer to use the box and to be able to see the contents inside it. This furthers the function of the box and provides a unique opportunity for the costumer to be more environmentally friendly.
The use of colour was important in the design in order to enhance the shape of the hexagon, the tea packages inside it, and colours found in nature. The hexagon is black with dark red flowers and the label is blue with dark red flowers. The inside of the box is black to enhance the colourful geometric shapes that fill it. Inside the box, the colours used for each pouch reflect the type of it tea holds and the environment in which one would find it.
In the researching for the project, it was interesting to notice how many different shapes can be placed into a hexagon. Besides the hexagon, three additional shapes were used in the design. The first shape was the triangle, which was used for the individual tea packages. The second shape was created by these tea packages with the use of colour. The colours essentially cut the hexagon in half making a trapezoid. Finally, the third shape was created by the point in which the triangle intersect to create the shape of a black flower at the center of the hexagon.
