Nongfu Spring Water

Customer

Nongfu Spring

Origin

China

Expertise

Bottle design

“The bottle has been designed to capture the soft, elegant lines of a water droplet, while the craftsmanship of one of the world’s finest glass manufacturers enhances its purity and clarity.”

Nongfu Spring Management

Premium Water

Founded in 1996, Nongfu Spring is one of China’s leading bottled water producers, known for its focus on natural water sources and the philosophy of “natural and healthy”.

The company’s water comes from carefully selected natural springs, with no artificial minerals added. Naturally light and alkaline, it contains minerals such as potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium, as well as silicic acid.

Over the years, Nongfu Spring has secured access to ten premium water sources across China, supporting its commitment to the quality and consistency of its products.

For its premium glass-bottled water range, the company wanted packaging that would reflect the natural origin of the water while meeting the expectations of high-end restaurants, bars and hotels. The result was a glass bottle that combines a soft, understated shape with illustrations inspired by the landscape surrounding its source.

Inspired by

The bottle’s shape was conceived to reflect the gentle curves of a water droplet. Designed by Horse Design Studio, it has a simple, flowing silhouette that draws attention to the clarity of the glass and the water inside.

As Sarah Pidgeon, Creative Partner at Horse Design Studio, explained, the intention was to capture the soft, elegant lines of a water droplet, with the glass itself enhancing the purity and clarity of the product.

The bottle was originally part of the HRASTNIK1860 collection, now represented by Vaider Group (formerly HRASTNIK1860). Its design caught the attention of Nongfu Spring, which selected it for exclusive use within its premium water portfolio.

Rather than developing a completely new shape, the brand chose an existing glass design and gave it a distinct identity through carefully considered decoration.

Moya Spring in Glass

The bottle’s decoration draws inspiration from Moya Spring, located at the foot of Changbai Mountain in north-eastern China.

Eight different plant and animal species native to the area are illustrated on the glass, including the Siberian tiger and the Chinese merganser. Each illustration is accompanied by Chinese text introducing the species and its connection to the region.

Applied through screen printing, the detailed illustrations turn the bottle into a visual introduction to the natural environment surrounding the water source. The transparent glass provides a restrained background for the artwork, allowing the illustrations to remain the focus without obscuring the water inside.

Developed for premium hospitality settings, the bottle combines the original water-drop-inspired shape with decoration created specifically for Nongfu Spring.

The glass-bottled water was also served at a G7 meeting in China, giving the design international visibility beyond its intended restaurant and hotel setting.