Translating cultural values into packaging design: The case of Ningxia eight treasures tea

‘Eight Treasures Tea’ (NETT), a unique herbal tea from Ningxia province, China, is renowned for its distinctive recipe, medicinal properties, and long history, yet public awareness of its cultural and nutritional value remains limited. Preliminary observations suggest that the current packaging design lacks the necessary visual and verbal elements to effectively convey NETT's cultural values (CVs). This study aimed to address this gap by translating NETT’s CVs into creative packaging using a practice-based research approach, conducted in three phases. In the first phase, a visual analysis of 12 existing NETT gift packages revealed limited differentiation in terms of colour, graphics, and typography, with minimal communication of CVs. The second phase involved semi-structured interviews with five experts, identifying eight sub-themes related to NETT’s historical, health, artistic, and spiritual dimensions: historical origin, historical context, health concept, dietary habits, brewing process, drinking method, emotional expression, and cultural interpretation. Findings highlighted the Yellow River as a key symbol of NETT’s historical significance, the artistic merit tied to making and tasting the tea, and the spiritual value shaped by Ningxia’s inclusive and diverse ethnic culture. In the third phase, creative and reflective practice was employed to explore and reconstruct the visual and verbal elements of NETT packaging, representing its multidimensional CVs. The study evoked the interconnectedness of research and practice, highlighting the critical role of the practitioner as a researcher. The creative process and outcomes offered new insights into packaging design, enhancing the communication of NETT’s cultural values to potential consumers.