+Matcha
At the centre of the identity is the brand motto, The Art of Less, conceived as a guiding philosophy shaped by restraint, honesty, and respect for the pure craft of matcha. This ethos informs both tone and form, translating visually into a language of minimalism, simplicity, and quiet nuance, influenced by a wabi-sabi sensibility.
The “+” becomes the visual anchor of the identity, drawn from the logotype and distilled into a simple, repeatable mark. Drawing back to the brand’s philosophy of simplicity, it suggests addition in small, intentional ways rather than abundance. Used across applications, the symbol offers a steady point of recognition, scaling up to an emblematic +M and serif wordmark.
A set of hand-drawn illustrations was developed around the gestures and tools of +Matcha’s ritual, from the chasen whisk to the gooseneck kettle. The pared-back linework brings warmth and tactility to the identity, used as secondary graphics to soften the brand and ground it in process.