ECOPRINTING on TEXTILES:
Tracing Roots, Cultivating Conscious Craft

By Marionne Contreras




What is Eco-printing?

Eco-printing (or botanical contact printing) is a natural dyeing and mark-making technique that uses leaves, flowers, and other plant materials to create direct imprints on fabric. In this process, plant materials are arranged on prepared textiles, then tightly bundled and steamed or boiled. The heat and moisture coax the plant pigments, transferring leaf and flower shapes into the fabric. This results in one-of-a-kind patterns that reflect the colors and forms of nature.

Beyond plant materials, the choice of fabric and how it’s prepared is essential. Natural fibers—whether cellulose like cotton and linen, or protein like silk and wool—are first thoroughly scoured to remove oils and other manufacturing residues. They are then mordanted, most commonly with aluminum salts. Iron and copper salts may also be used to create specific tonal effects.

Mordanting is the process of treating fabric with metallic salts that bond with the fibers, allowing plant pigments to fix more effectively. This not only improves light- and wash-fastness but also alters the colors produced. Alum typically yields bright yellow prints; iron, soft greys and olives; copper, subdued greens and teals. Of these, alum and iron are generally the safest and most accessible for home and studio use.

Eco-printing outcomes depend on many variables: plant materials and their species, their age and characteristics, the season they were picked; fiber type; mordant type and concentration, combinations used, soaking time, and even water chemistry. They all affect how plant pigments are absorbed by fabric. This makes the eco-printing process as much about experimentation as intention. Each print becomes a collaboration with nature—guided by preparation but shaped by chance. No two eco-prints are ever the same, making this craft as much an art as it is a printing technique.



Origins and History


Eco-printing, as it is known today, is a relatively modern development, but it is built upon centuries of natural dyeing traditions. Cultures around the world have long used plant dyes to color textiles—using roots, bark, and leaves to produce vivid hues. Some indigenous practices even involved pounding or pressing plant materials to transfer their colors to cloth. Notably, Native American artisans would hammer flowers and leaves into fabric to create patterns. The Japanese practice of Tataki Zome, meaning “hammering dye,” in which pigments are transferred to the fabric through hammering, is also an early form of botanical contact printing.

The contemporary eco-printing technique was pioneered by Australian artist India Flint. She famously discovered the contact dyeing effect by accident in 1991 when eucalyptus leaves stained some rain-soaked fabric, leaving clear leaf prints. She spent the 1990s experimenting with this discovery and eventually coined the term “eco-printing” in the early 2000s. Since then, the practice has spread globally among textile artists and designers interested in sustainable, nature-based methods.



Eco-printing in the Philippines
and Southeast Asia

The Philippines has a rich legacy of using natural dyes in traditional textiles. Indigo, for example, was once a major export of the Philippines in the 18th century. Indigenous weaving communities like Blaan, Tboli, Ifugao, and Itneg have long colored abaca and cotton fibers with pigments from local plants—e.g. knalum (Diospyros sp.) leaves for black, lagu (Morinda citrifolia) roots for red, or tayum (Indigofera tinctoria) leaves for blue.

In recent years, Filipino artists have begun to merge eco-printing with natural dye traditions. A landmark example is Earthbound (2025), an exhibition at MO_Space in Manila, where artists Geraldine Javier and Marionne Contreras collaborated with fashion designer Steffi Cua of the Idyllic Summers brand. Working with eco-printed and naturally dyed fabrics, they created tapestries, sculptures, and garments that explored ecology, memory, and sustainability. The project emphasized the potential of botanical printing as an accessible and creative practice rooted in Philippine flora, and helped reassert the richness of the country’s botanical heritage.

Javier, who first explored eco-printing on her farm in Batangas, deepened the practice through meticulous study of local plants, blending material experimentation with her ongoing artistic themes of transformation and impermanence. Contreras, who began her botanical work through hands-on experiments in rural Bicol and a residency in Malaysia, developed a reflective, place-based approach—using foraged materials and integrating the results into soft textile forms that evoke personal and ecological narratives. Cua translated the artists’ textiles into garments using zero-waste design methods, crafting silhouettes inspired by natural cycles and emphasizing mindful consumption.

Beyond the Philippines, eco-printing has been gaining ground across Southeast Asia, often building upon each country’s rich textile heritage. In Indonesia, known for its millennia-old batik and natural dye traditions, eco-printing has been embraced by a new generation of artisans. In East Java, for example, traditional batik makers have experimented with botanical contact printing to develop culturally resonant, sustainable textiles. Educational programs and artisan cooperatives have supported this revival, using local leaves, fruit-based dyes, and natural mordants.

In Thailand, eco-printing has also found a foothold among designers and craftspeople working with silk and natural fibers. Workshops in Chiang Mai and Bangkok have helped popularize the technique, encouraging participants to engage directly with native flora in creating one-of-a-kind textiles. Across the region, these developments show how eco-printing is becoming more than a trend—it is emerging as a regional movement that honors traditional knowledge while innovating toward a more responsible and place-based approach to textile design.



Eco-printing as a
sustainable choice

Modern textile production is notoriously harsh on the environment. Conventional dyeing processes are among the largest sources of industrial water pollution, accounting for an estimated 17–20% globally. In contrast, eco-printing offers a cleaner, more sustainable alternative. By replacing toxic synthetic dyes and chemicals with biodegradable plant pigments, eco-printing encourages a return to local, low-impact craft traditions.

Each eco-print is achieved using minimally processed organic materials and often requires nothing more than heat—through steaming or boiling—to fix the color. This means less hazardous waste and a significantly smaller environmental footprint. The process depends on renewable and locally sourced materials—leaves, bark, flowers—that can be grown, foraged, or repurposed. Natural fabrics such as silk, cotton, hemp, or wool readily absorb botanical dyes, eliminating the need for petroleum-based synthetics. Because eco-printers often use fallen leaves, kitchen waste, or invasive species, the process not only reduces textile pollution but also supports biodiversity and sustainable land use. In this way, eco-printing works with nature’s cycles—utilizing what is abundant and returning any leftovers to the earth with almost no harm.

Eco-printing also aligns with the values of slow fashion. It prioritizes thoughtful, small-batch production over mass manufacturing. Each piece is unique, created through time-intensive craft, and bears the direct imprint of the natural world. Designers like Steffi Cua pair eco-printed fabrics with zero-waste cutting techniques and durable silhouettes—producing garments made to last. The individuality of each print discourages a disposable mindset; wearers are more likely to value a piece that holds a trace of nature and process. Moreover, projects like Earthbound frame eco-printing within a broader ethical vision—as a way to rethink consumption and embrace our role as stewards of the environment through what we wear. By adopting this practice, both artisans and consumers help sustain a fashion culture rooted in ecological responsibility, cultural heritage, and creative integrity.





References:

Almazan, T. (2025, March 30). Live and dye: In Earthbound, human hands replicate the beauty of nature. Vogue Philippines. https://vogue.ph
Anandya, K. (2023). The Sustainable Way of Prints. https://fibre2fashion.com
De Veyra, P. (2025, February 28). Nature’s poetics in the art of Filipino artist Geraldine Javier. Asia News Network. https://asianews.network/natures-poetics-in-the-art-of-filipino-artist-geraldine-javier/
Flint, I. (2008). Eco Colour: Botanical dyes for beautiful textiles. Murdoch Books.
Jose, J. (2025, May 7). The feminine as catalyst: Rethinking art and power. Cartellino. https://cartellino.com
MO_Space. (2025). Earthbound [Exhibition catalog]. https://mo-space.net
Palasi, K. (2022). Philippine Natural Dyes: A Short Overview. HABI Philippine Textile Council. https://habiphilippinetextilecouncil.com
Payne, G. (2023). Eco-print Workshop: Craft Stunning Textile Designs With Nature’s Beauty. https://gigipayne.com
Rimbun Dahan Arts Residency. (2023). Marionne Contreras: About the Artist. https://rimbundahan.org
Teowarang, J. (2020). The fragrant tuberose: Collaborative eco-printing by batik artisans from Pasuruan Regency in East Java. Garland Magazine. https://garlandmag.com
United Nations Environment Programme. (2019). Sustainability and circularity in the textile value chain: A global roadmap. https://www.unep.org




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