Mate is an infusion created from the yerba mate plant, local to South America’s subtropical rainforest region. The act of drinking mate has social connotations: it is a symbol of companionship, a form of hospitality, and an excuse to catch up with friends.
La Boca is one of the most famous neighbourhoods in Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires. Caminito is the name given to the iconic alleys at the heart of La Boca, well known for its colourful houses. It is here, in Caminito, that one undoubtedly comes across locals drinking mate.
The Caminito mate drinking kit invites you to take part in this Argentine tradition. The outer layer of the packaging provides cultural context for the product that it contains. The net’s design has a front that juts out a few inches, emulating the front of corner houses from the iconic La Boca neighbourhood. The bright, corrugated paper wrapping captures the texture of the metal sheets that were used by Italian immigrants to build their famous homes. The tango-dancing couple featured in the logo alludes to Caminito’s musical ties. The final net’s design holds itself together, requiring no glue, yet being compact enough when disassembled to facilitate shipping needs. The outcome of all the careful decisions taken creates an efficient package that captures the essence of Argentine culture.
Terminology:
mate (mah - teh) - container that yerba and water is placed in
yerba (sher - bah) - tea leaves used to prepare mate
termo (tehr - moh) - flask which ensures that water stays hot
bombilla (bohm - bee - sha) - drinking straw; usually made of metal
