How to eco-print at home with flowers

Eco-printing is a technique that transfers the natural pigments of flowers and plants onto cloth and paper. France-based designer and natural dye crafter Ceilidh Chaplin of BillyNou shares her first foray into this art form in her family’s breezy and experiment-filled video.

On her site, she writes that natural dyes are often described as ‘living colours.’

“They have a charm and personality very unlike chemical dyes with the much higher energetic vibration of life. And recycling a beautiful piece of vintage fabric brings us a big old sense of peace and satisfaction.”

Above, she prints with coreopsis, marigolds, cosmos, and a few other flowers on silk, “but obviously you can eco-print with other fabrics, as well, as long as they’re natural.”

She also uses a few big sticks and string for wrapping, a piece of reused plastic as a barrier, and a metal pot and strainer to steam the fabric.

Tip: The Barefoot Dyer uses an old ace bandage, instead of cotton string or twine, to wrap around the bundle, yielding cleaner prints. You can also use kraft or parchment paper, cereal bags, or another barrier of choice if you don’t have a sheet of plastic around.

Find more of Ceilidh Chaplin’s work on YouTube, Instagram, and BillyNou.com.

Plus, watch more videos about printing and dyes:
• The Link Between Japanese Samurai and Real Indigo
• Blue calico dyeing and batik printing with Li Ziqi
• Carving greenhouse, plant, and flower rubber stamps
• Stone Lithography, a demonstration at Edinburgh Printmakers

Bonus: Story of Flowers, a breathtaking botanical animation.