The world’s most
desired green powder.
Tracked. Graded. Distributed.
What looks like tea
moves like a commodity.
05.
CONTROLLED
CULTiVATION
Production consolidated into specific regions.
Uji established long-term quality standards.
Origin and grade
became traceable.
Early Modern
Japan
FRESH TEA LEAF
FIG. 05
04.
RITUALIZED USE
Zen & Tea Ceremony
Preparation was structured into ritual practice.
Movement, timing, and sequence were regulated.
Matcha functioned as a tool for focus.
FIG. 04
CHASEN (MATCHA WHISK)
03.
FORMALIZATION
Kamakura–Muromachi Periods
Japan standardized powdered tea production.
Shade-growing, stone-grinding, and leaf selection were formalized.
FIG. 03
STONE
GRINDER
02.
method transfer
12th Century
Zen monks returned to Japan
with tea seeds and preparation methods.
Knowledge transfer occurred through monastic exchange. Cultivation began under regulated conditions.
FIG. 02
MATCHA
TEA SEEDS
01.
First CONTACT
Tang–Song Dynasty China
(7th–13th c.)
Powdered tea techniques originated in China.
Tea leaves were steamed,
dried, and ground for
direct consumption.
This form predates matcha.
FIG. 01
DRIED
TEA LEAF
Matcha
Production
Chain.
PHASE 01
PHASE 02
PHASE 03
PHASE 04
SHADE-GROWN LEAVES
Leaves are grown under shade prior to harvest. Shading increases chlorophyll and amino acid content.
Effects
of
Matcha.
01
Sustained Focus
Calm alertness without spikes.
Matcha delivers caffeine gradually through naturally occurring compounds.
Attention sharpens. Energy remains steady.
02
MENTAL CLARITY
Attention without agitation.
Historically associated with meditation and extended focus. Awareness is maintained without restlessness.
03
RITUALIZED ENERGY
Energy shaped by preparation.
Preparation slows consumption. The act itself becomes part of the effect.
Images sourced from Instagram and Pinterest.
Rights belong to respective owners.
Hyperfixation.
06
KETTLE
01
CHAWAN
02
MATCHA POWDER
03
CHASEN
04
CHASEN STAND
07
CHASHAKU
05
SIEVE
PREPARATION PROCEDURES
StEP 01
SIFT
Sift matcha into the bowl to remove clumps and standardize texture before hydration.
The
Vault
© 2026 MATCHA CARTEL.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
DISTRIBUTED UNDER STRICT CONTROL.
NON-TRANSFERABLE.
BEHIND THE CARTELS
Matcha Cartel began as a shared interest in matcha and an observation of its rapid rise as a global trend. As demand grew, scarcity followed, shifting matcha from ritual ingredient to high-value commodity.
This project reframes matcha through a darker visual language, presenting it as something controlled, traded, and desired rather than purely ceremonial. Familiar wellness aesthetics are replaced with systems of restriction, excess, and spectacle.
THE DEALERS
DEALER 01:
AGNES ANDREYANA (web designer)
An interaction designer and co-founder of Surd Studio, a digital design practice focused on crafting intuitive and highly satisfying web experiences.
DEALER 02:
WILDY RIFTIAN (visual designer)
A visual designer working across 3D motion, branding, and visual systems. Within Matcha Cartel, he focuses on visual language and world-building, translating abstract ideas into tangible design systems.
