Fold Traditional Chinese Medicine Teabag | Ekphrastics
Fold Traditional Chinese Medicine Teabag by Mengzhen Xu

Fold Traditional Chinese Medicine Teabag

Silver A' Design Award Winner 2024

Warm tangerine dominates the visual field as Mengzhen Xu's Fold Traditional Chinese Medicine Teabag packaging establishes an arresting display of repetitive geometric forms arranged in a rhythmic grid pattern across an isometric perspective plane. The composition presents multiple identical cubic boxes rendered in a sophisticated tripartite chromatic scheme: cream-white primary faces bearing bilingual typographic elements in black, warm taupe secondary panels creating dimensional depth, and vibrant cadmium orange tertiary surfaces that echo the saturated background surface upon which they rest. The compositional architecture employs a diagonal recession from lower left toward upper right, creating dynamic spatial tension through the systematic repetition of rectangular solids that diminish slightly with atmospheric distance. One centrally positioned unit reveals its interior mechanism, displaying accordion-folded individual sachets in matching orange that fan outward in a graceful arc, demonstrating the innovative dispensing solution. The typographic hierarchy places English product identification at apex, followed by bold Chinese calligraphic characters denoting the traditional formula, with ingredient specifications arranged in a structured grid below. Lighting appears studio-controlled, emanating from an elevated frontal-left source that casts subtle shadows beneath each unit while maintaining consistent illumination across all surfaces. The matte finish of packaging materials creates soft tonal transitions without harsh specular highlights, suggesting quality paper stock with refined tactile properties. Edge treatments remain crisp and geometrically precise, reinforcing the modernist design sensibility that bridges traditional herbal medicine with contemporary aesthetic values. The overall atmospheric resonance conveys warmth, vitality, and systematic order, suggesting both the nurturing qualities of the product contents and the meticulous care invested in their presentation.

Tests have shown that the effective ingredients concentration of ordinary hanging teabag liquid is only 40 percent of that when directly brewing medicine. This is because ordinary teabags wrap medicine inside, making it difficult for water to flow smoothly from the inside out. This design aims to increase the effective drug concentration and reduce medicine waste. We also hope to use origami technique to save more volume in the product to implement sustainable design concepts. When water is poured into it, it will unfold layer by layer from a flat folded shape, forming a barrel structure.