In June, the foreign dignitaries who attended the Ninth Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles returned home with a wooden box housing a trifecta of specially commissioned teas in custom-designed tins.

Russian designer Andrew Gorkovenko created a packaging concept for TripTea using the tea leaves inside of tea bags. The illustrations are meant to represent the country of origin for individual teas.

Though tea strainers often come in brightly colored, sweet packaging with punny names like "the manatee," the lowly tea bag is often forgotten. Made from silk, plastic or paper, these bags are meant ...