Melding ritual with reinvention, 12 sets a new standard for premium matcha through a multi-sensory brand universe designed by Base Design, launching in New York’s NoHo.
A new chapter for matcha has arrived with the launch of 12, a contemporary matcha brand with global ambition and deep cultural roots. Its flagship location is 54 Bond Street in New York City. More than just a product or a place, 12 presents a crafted experience, infusing the ancient art of matcha with the aesthetics and sensibilities of wellness, fashion, and design.
Backed by an international collective of culinary, scientific, and creative minds, 12 represents a shift away from the commodity-driven matcha market. Instead, it embraces the ritual, intention, and poetic craftsmanship traditionally associated with Japanese tea ceremonies.
To bring this vision to life, 12 partnered with Base Design, the global creative studio behind a suite of brand universes spanning art, design and retail.
“The matcha market today is highly fragmented, with varying degrees of quality and storytelling,” says Min Lew, executive creative director and managing director at Base Design. “12 is here to set a new standard, elevating matcha’s qualities of craftsmanship, mindfulness and mastery in a respectful yet relevant way for generations to come.”
From Uji to NoHo
12 sources its matcha from Uji, Japan, home to some of the world’s most revered tea harvesters. Working closely with tea master Haruhide Morita, the brand developed a blend that honours tradition while inviting newcomers in. This pursuit of excellence is embedded into the brand’s DNA—a seamless fusion of cultural reverence and modern refinement.
With Base Design acting as creative director at large, the brand curated an impressive roster of collaborators. Dr. Christopher Loss of Cornell University engineered a precise umami-phytonutrient balance using charcoal filtration.
Culinary innovation came from chef Francisco Migoya, who explored matcha’s potential beyond the cup, while industrial designer Michael Young refined the packaging experience. Parisian architecture firm Ciguë created an interior space anchored by a dramatic green marble tasting table, sourced from France’s Volvic volcano, designed to evoke the meditative essence of the matcha ritual.
A name with resonance
Even the name 12 carries layered significance, from astrological and spiritual associations to the 12Hz brain frequency linked with calm, alert mental states. “’12’ was chosen for its universal symbolism, making the identity broadly resonant while remaining rooted in the ancient craft and ethos of matcha production,” Lew explains.
It’s this blend of the ancient and the contemporary that defines 12. “This brand was never meant to be just another option on the menu—it was conceived as a moment of calm, a reset, a way to bring vitality back into daily life,” adds Lew.
Design with intention
For Base Design, the 12 project was a true 360° engagement—from strategy and naming to visual identity, packaging, website development and spatial design. The brand world they crafted is deliberately restrained yet rich with detail.
The visual identity leans confidently into green as a symbol of vitality and serenity. However, as Carlos Bocai, associate design director at Base, notes, “12 uses green more punctually, with intentional use of white and white space to set the tone.”
Typography also plays a key role, with the GC-16 typeface striking a balance between functionality and expressiveness, echoing the tactile beauty of the matcha experience. Meanwhile, the logo is designed to be flexible, with a handcrafted texture that evokes creativity and craft and is capable of adapting across mediums.
A particularly striking brand element is 12’s spherical, refillable glass packaging. It brings a fashion-meets-wellness aesthetic to the tea aisle while staying rooted in sustainability and intentional design.
A brand built to last
Though firmly rooted in traditional tea philosophy, 12 is designed with longevity in mind. “We avoided trend-chasing in favour of building something timeless,” says Ross Gendels, associate creative director at Base Design. “The exquisite quality of the product speaks for itself, but the brand philosophy and personality became the North Star for every creative decision.”
Digital presence is equally considered. Base Design developed a website and digital toolkit to extend the brand’s reach across platforms, ensuring its sensorial appeal translates to online audiences.
Matcha with meaning
Stepping into the Bond Street café, customers will discover more than matcha. They’ll enter a sensory landscape that draws on centuries of tradition while speaking in a thoroughly modern voice. From the green marble tasting table to the curated product display, every detail supports 12’s vision of mindful indulgence.
In short, this is a brand that doesn’t just serve tea—it serves meaning, beauty, and craft.