EMILIA ABOUT

GOURMET SAUVAGE
PACKAGING DESIGN

Credit: ChatGPT Close-up of bubbles on the surface of dark amber tea, in a glass.
Credit Death to Stock. Overhead view of a wooden table with a dark teapot, a green vase, and a plate with dried flowers.
Credit: Death to Stock. Close-up of a tea bag with loose tea leaves inside against a plain background.
Credit: Death to Stock. Unmade bed with striped sheets and a green blanket, next to a window and radiator with stacked books.
Credit: Death to Stock. Close-up of a translucent green plant leaf showing veins and texture against a light background.
Credit: Emilia Piazza. White vellum paper Gourmet Sauvage tea package with label reading Thé du Labrador, containing three tea sachets.

GOURMET SAUVAGE
TEA SAMPLER

Packaging
Brand Identity
Creative Direction

MANDATE

Develop a compact, minimal packaging solution for Gourmet Sauvage’s Labrador tea sampler. Intended to be gifted to customers in-store, the brief called for an intimate, thoughtfully crafted structure made from paper, highlighting texture and quiet detail. The design needed to transform a simple sample into a considered brand gesture.

CLIENT OVERVIEW

Gourmet Sauvage is a Quebec-based, family-owned business focused on the artisanal harvesting and retail of their specialty teas. Their mission is to reconnect people with nature through sustainable and responsible harvesting and education. Their Labrador tea is harvested in the wild Boreal forests and westlands of Quebec, known for their pristine environments. The tea is known for its anti-inflammatory qualities and distinct, soothing, woody aroma.

death to stock
Credit: Death to Stock. Person holding a small cup with light yellow tea, wearing a beige long-sleeve shirt and white pants.
Credit: ChatGPT. Close-up of textured, curled Labrador tea leaves with visible veins and folds.

DESIGN PROCESS

The design process was based off the tea’s natural and soothing qualities, as well as the brand’s sustainable promise. The intention was to explore fold-based structures that require no adhesives to ensure stability and minimalism, using natural paper. Soft green Japanese vellum was chosen because when folded, it creates lines similar to those of the Labrador leaf’s, creating a beautiful yet minimal detail. The vellum’s flexibility and strength also ensured consistent performance.

A THOUGHTFUL DETAIL

Consumed as a daily ritual, Labrador tea can be enjoyed at any time of day—one cup as an act of restoration. This detail led me to design minimal moon phase illustrations to reinforce its all-day versatility message, while evoking ritual and balance. The design positions the tea not just as a beverage, but as an intentional pause in everyday life.

death to stock
Credit: Unsplash: Anne Nygard White labrador plant flowers blooming on thin stems in sunlit forest undergrowth.
Credit: Emilia Piazza Close-up of Gourmet Sauvage tea bag with loose tea leaves and an instructions label in French
Credits: Henry Schneider on Unsplash Black and yellow bumble bee collecting nectar on labrador flower

THE SOLUTION

The final design transforms a simple tea sample into a quiet, intentional gesture. Crafted from soft green Japanese vellum, it feels delicate in the hand, and its subtle translucency and natural fold lines gently echo the veining of the Labrador leaf. Typography is understated, with small moon phase details suggesting rhythm and daily ritual. A sewn sachet, released with a soft pull completes the experience turning the offering into a calm, tactile moment that lingers beyond the first cup.