The Tao of Tea
- The Tao of Tea
A story-driven website for a Portland tea institution
Rooted in Portland and globally recognized for their ethically sourced, absolutely beautiful tea, The Tao of Tea has a well-deserved reputation for a deep commitment to education, sustainable sourcing, and authentic tea experiences. We’ve long been fans. It was our honor to help bring their new digital presence to life.
The leaf
The leaf
The Tao of Tea offers an extensive collection of teas, each carefully selected and ethically sourced. Understanding that tea enthusiasts have different shopping preferences, we developed two distinct yet complementary browsing experiences.
For those who know exactly what they’re looking for, we created an intuitive filtering system that quickly narrows down options by type, origin, and flavor profile.
Meanwhile, tea aficionados seeking a more immersive experience can explore detailed origin stories and photos, flavor notes, and brewing instructions.
This dual approach ensures that whether customers are making a quick purchase or diving deep into tea culture, they’ll find their ideal teas.
The art
The art
We developed a color palette featuring rich browns, blues, orange, and calming neutrals that mirror the organic qualities of tea itself. Paired with a typography system that balances traditional elegance with modern clarity, this combination creates an atmosphere that feels both authentic to The Tao of Tea’s heritage and welcoming to contemporary tea enthusiasts.
We also curated imagery from The Tao of Tea’s extensive photo archives. Our careful selection of existing photography helps tell the story of quality and tradition that defines the Tao of Tea experience.
Historically, The Tao of Tea used Times New Roman exclusively for everything from their logo to product descriptions. While an iconic typeface, it fell short of meeting the brand’s evolving needs and modern use cases.
To preserve a classic feel while embracing contemporary versatility, we introduced Caslon for headings—its refined serifs and italic options lend an elegant update to Tao of Tea’s longstanding aesthetic. For body copy, we selected Fillip, a more casual, hands-on typeface that retains readability across screens and reflects the thoughtful, artisanal process at the heart of Tao of Tea.
The way
For The Tao of Tea, tea represents more than a simple product – it’s a pathway to a meaningful way of life. Their philosophy centers on the idea that “Tea culture invokes a connection to the greater whole, which is part of what makes this plant so special.” We carefully wove this ethos throughout the site and crafted spaces for visitors can to explore tea culture and discover what makes The Tao of Tea truly exceptional.
You Have a Story Worth Telling
