CALMA
SUTRA
CALMING SOON
What is Calma Sutra?
Calma Sutra is a one-of-a-kind ready-to-drink pink Kashmiri chai tea rooted in South Asian ritual and reimagined for Gen Z, blending Indian mysticism with modern wellness culture. It is not just a beverage, it is a mindset and a lifestyle, a small reminder to slow down because life is too short to live in permanent fast forward.
We begin with our signature Original Pink Chai and have a flavor roadmap that includes Matcha Chai, Mango, and Pumpkin Spice so the brand can live across seasons and moods. Over time, we plan to merchandise this mindset with products that extend the Calma Sutra ritual beyond the can, into daily life, gifting, and community.
Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
Calma Sutra is a beverage venture founded by Chanel Christy, a Gen Z designer and recent BFA graduate from George Mason University. Recognized by GDUSA as one of their “Top 100 Design Students to Watch – 2025,” Chanel developed Calma Sutra as her senior thesis – creating the full brand identity and serving her homemade pink Kashmiri chai at her exhibition. The response from students and faculty was overwhelmingly positive, with many asking where they could buy it. That moment turned a design project into a real business.
Today, Chanel is building Calma Sutra from Northern Virginia with support from her co-founder (and father), brand strategist Neil Christy, and the broader local community.
The ingredients that ground Calma Sutra.
Pink Kashmiri chai is a naturally pink, lightly sweet, calming tea that has been enjoyed for generations in South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan. Unlike regular tea, it is consumed to relax, slow down, and connect. Calma Sutra is inspired by traditional Kashmiri Chai, reimagined as a modern, ready-to-drink pink chai. It is gently caffeinated, lightly sweet, and centered on calm rather than hype. Rose, saffron, green tea and cardamom create a flavor profile that feels like a ritual, not just a drink. Besides the original, there will be more flavor variants based on consumer research.
Calma Sutra exists for Gen Z who feel overwhelmed by pressure to perform and hustle all the time. The brand is designed to give them a small moment of stillness, softness, and cultural connection in the middle of a loud day. Our tagline captures this in one line: “Slow Down, Life is Too Short.”
ROSE & SAFFRON
A BLEND OF MILDLY SWEET ROSE
GREEN TEA
Freshly picked, high-grade tea leaves
CARDAMOM
fresh, aromatic, organic
Why This Category | Why Now
Global Chai Market
Chai is moving from café to can. The global chai tea market is estimated at around $12.7 billion in 2025 and projected to reach about $14.4 billion by 2034, growing steadily as chai becomes a mainstream alternative to coffee and sugary drinks.
Functional Beverage
The functional beverage market is booming. Globally, functional beverages are worth roughly $168 billion in 2025 and are forecast to reach nearly $297 billion by 2034, driven by demand for drinks that support stress relief, gut health, energy, and mood.
Gen Z
About 72% of Gen Z consumers try new beverages every month and actively seek out new flavors and brands that align with their values. Around two-thirds of Gen Z buy functional drinks multiple times a month, and about half have replaced some coffee or alcohol with wellness drinks.
EARLY VALIDATION
Calm Down | Life Is Too Short
Calma Sutra was born as Chanel Christy’s senior thesis at George Mason University, where she created the full brand identity and served her homemade pink chai at her exhibition. The drink received overwhelmingly positive feedback, sparking demand and inspiring the transition from concept to company. Chanel’s recognition as a GDUSA “Top 100 Design Student to Watch – 2025” further validates the brand’s creative strength and cultural appeal.
The reaction at her senior show, plus the growing demand for wellness drinks over sugary sodas and energy drinks, showed us there is real market appetite for a pink chai ritual in a can.
The dream team
Founded by Chanel Christy, a Gen Z designer and GDUSA “Top 100 Design Student to Watch – 2025,” Calma Sutra began as a senior thesis project at George Mason University. The founding team is supported by Neil Christy, a marketing leader with over 20 years of global brand experience, including creative direction for Pepsi, Tetley Tea, and Lipton Yellow Label.
The calma sutra mindset
Calma Sutra is not just a beverage — it’s a mindset. Built around the idea that life is too short to live on fast-forward, the brand will expand thoughtfully into lifestyle products that reinforce calm, culture, and intentional living.
A Tale of Two Countries
Long before tea became fuel for productivity, it was a ritual of pause. In the culture that gave the world the Kama Sutra, a philosophy centered on pleasure, balance, and presence, there was a deep understanding that slowing down is not indulgence, it’s essential. Mughal India, where life moved with intention and opulence, moments of calm were cultivated through art, conversation, and gentle infusions.
Pink Kashmiri chai tea, slowly brewed, lightly sweet, and meant to be savored, not rushed, is a continuation of that DNA. Calma Sutra is where two cultures meet. It draws on the ritual, heritage, and emotional intelligence of South Asian pink chai, and passes it on to a generation raised on speed. I am building a bridge, a woman-owned, culturally rooted brand that takes what we have always known in the East and invites the West to experience tranquility and discover Calm is not a luxury. It is a right.
Supporting Girls’ Education in South Asia
Our Give-Back Commitment
Girls’ education in South Asia remains a critical global challenge: UNICEF estimates that 31.8 million children and youth are out of school in the region, including 23.6 million at the secondary level, and girls ages 15–19 in South Asia are three times more likely than boys to be out of school, employment, or training. Calma Sutra is being built with a commitment to supporting this cause. When proceeds are generated, we will direct support toward tangible needs such as school fees, uniforms, books, and classroom supplies that help girls stay enrolled and continue learning. For us, calm begins with access, opportunity, and the freedom to choose one’s own future. Details to follow.