Custom Collection Tin for CHINATEA

CHINATEA, the most iconic tea brand in China with a history spanning over seven decades, required a versatile and high-performance tinplate series for its premium loose-leaf teas. This project aimed to create a “standard of excellence” in tea storage, blending the brand’s traditional prestige with a sleek, modern industrial design.

Project Overview

As a brand representing the “national tea” of China, the packaging needed to be functional, durable, and instantly recognizable. The challenge was to develop a multi-size cylindrical series that could accommodate various tea types — from delicate Green teas to robust Pu’er. We focused on a “Mushroom Lid” airtight structure to provide the superior sealing required for long-term aroma retention.

Packaging Solution

Material: 0.25mm premium food-grade tinplate, featuring an internal gold-lacquer finish to ensure a 100% inert environment for the tea leaves.
Structure: Deep-drawn cylindrical body with a signature “Domed Mushroom” slip lid. This design increases the internal air volume while providing an easy-grip surface for consumers.
Printing: Developed in three sophisticated metallic shades (Champagne Gold, Silver Satin, and Matte Black). The design features a subtle, tone-on-tone topographic pattern symbolizing the tea-growing mountains.
Surface Effect: Utilizes a specialized matte sand varnish that provides a non-slip texture and high resistance to scratches, maintaining the tin’s pristine look in retail environments.
Internal Seal: Precision-engineered lid-to-body tolerance ensures an airtight fit, shielding the tea from moisture, oxygen, and external odors.

Results & Feedback

The CHINATEA collection tin has become a benchmark for professional tea packaging in the industry. The metallic topographic design successfully appealed to a younger, more design-conscious demographic while maintaining the trust of traditional tea connoisseurs. Feedback from CHINATEA’s flagship stores highlighted that the stackable and durable nature of the tins significantly reduced product spoilage and enhanced the overall premium shopping experience.

Product Display

Custom multi-color tea tin series for CHINATEA

Close-up of the domed mushroom lid and topographic printing

Internal view of the gold-lacquered food-safe tea tin

About CHINATEA

China Tea Co., Ltd. (CHINATEA) is a core business of COFCO Group and was the first state-owned company established after the founding of the People’s Republic of China. As a leader in the Chinese tea industry, CHINATEA is dedicated to providing high-quality, safe, and authentic tea products to consumers worldwide, following the “Whole Industry Chain” quality control model.

Custom Collection Tin for CHINATEA (China Tea Co., Ltd.)