The new Metolius wordmark is intentionally difficult to categorize. The tall, narrow forms give it a sense of elegance, but small irregularities keep it from feeling overly formal. There is something botanical in its movement without it becoming illustrative, and something old-world in its proportions without tying it to any particular tea tradition. At larger scale it becomes graphic. On packaging, signage, advertising, and digital applications, we allow the mark to occasionally extend beyond the frame rather than treating the logo like something that always needs to sit politely in a corner. A simplified M gives the system a secondary mark for smaller moments, while an “Artisan Tea” lockup provides additional context when Metolius appears outside of an obvious tea environment. The result is an identity that feels established without feeling inherited and doesn’t push them too far away from their roots.
We paired the expressive wordmark and Times Now display typography with Diatype, a highly functional sans serif, and Sackers Gothic for small categorical moments. That contrast became another important part of the identity. Large typography can feel editorial, romantic, even literary. Supporting information is clean, direct, and highly organized. On packaging, the typography moves between those two modes giving the product enough personality to command a shelf while keeping ingredients, variety, origin, and other information easy to understand.
Rather than defaulting to a conventional palette of botanical greens, we built a warmer and more expansive spectrum around Metolius’s physical world in the Pacific Northwest. Onyx. Cream. Camel. Steam. Matcha green, Turmeric, and Red Ochre. The neutrals dominate the system, allowing the brighter colors to appear in smaller gestures. The effect is quiet from a distance but surprisingly vibrant up close—the same way a pile of dried tea reveals orange peel, flowers, seeds, bark, and spice.
