What is eco-printing?
A short introduction to printing with plants: how it works, what shapes a print, and why no two pieces are ever alike.
2 min read
Botanical textile art by NILA
Eco-printing in Sri Lanka
At NILA, every print is made by hand with real leaves and flowers, laid on cotton, silk and other suitable fabrics, then bundled, steamed and opened to see what each plant has left behind.
This page brings the craft together: what it is, how the studio works, and where to see or learn it.
About the craft · general
What eco-printing is
Eco-printing is a way of printing with plants. Leaves and flowers are laid directly on fabric, the cloth is bundled tightly and heated, and the plants' natural colour moves into the fibres. When the bundle is opened, each leaf has left an impression of its shape, often down to the finest vein.
Unlike natural dyeing, which usually colours a whole cloth in a dye bath, eco-printing records individual plants: their outline, their veins, and the particular colour each one gives. Methods vary widely from artist to artist.
In Sri Lanka, "eco printing" can also mean environmentally conscious commercial printing on paper. Eco-printing at NILA is something else: botanical printing on fabric, by hand, with real leaves and flowers.
For a longer introduction, read What is eco-printing?
How NILA works
Seven stages, by hand
As the studio's own footage shows them, from the first leaf to the drying line.
- 01Arrange. Leaves are laid on the cloth one by one. Their placement is the composition.
- 02Cover & roll. The arrangement is covered, then rolled tightly around a core.
- 03Bind. Each roll is tied into a firm bundle.
- 04Steam. The bundles are steamed. Heat and moisture help the leaves release their colour.
- 05Unwrap. After steaming, the bundles are opened.
- 06Reveal. Leaves are lifted away to reveal their imprint, every vein recorded in colour.
- 07Dry. The finished piece dries in the open air.
Fabric and colour
On cotton, silk and more
NILA prints on cotton, silk and other suitable textiles. Each fabric takes colour in its own way, so the same leaf can print quite differently from one cloth to the next.
The studio's palette runs from muted botanical neutrals, such as stone, sage and charcoal, to richer and deeper colour: saffron and gold, blush and burgundy. The material of each finished piece is confirmed when you enquire.
How to read a botanical printThe finished work
What the prints become
Original pieces from the studio, in four collections. Each carries the imprint of real plants.
Making, and teaching
A practice built on study
NILA is an independent botanical textile studio in Sri Lanka. Its founder is an eco-printing artist who learned the craft through international online courses and hands-on training with experts in Thailand, and who keeps developing it through constant experiment with leaves, fabrics and colour.
The studio has two connected sides: original botanical textiles, and teaching. Universities and institutions have begun to ask about her teaching, and workshops, demonstrations and sessions are arranged individually, on enquiry.
Read further
Reading a botanical print
Outline, vein, colour and halo: how to look closely at an eco-print, and what each mark can tell you.
1 min read
Caring for botanical textiles
General guidance for keeping eco-printed fabrics beautiful for longer: washing, drying and light, ironing and storing.
1 min read
Questions
Often asked
- Is eco-printing the same as natural dyeing?
- They are related but different. Natural dyeing usually colours a whole cloth by immersing it in a dye bath. Eco-printing lays leaves and flowers on the fabric itself, so each plant leaves its own shape and colour behind.
- What fabrics does NILA print on?
- Cotton, silk and other suitable textiles. The fabric of a particular piece is confirmed by the studio when you ask about it.
- Will two pieces ever look the same?
- No. Every leaf is different, and so is every bundle, so each print records particular plants at a particular moment. Two pieces made from the same kind of leaf will still differ.
- Can I buy a piece, or commission one?
- Yes, by enquiry. Prices and availability are shared personally, and the studio welcomes conversations about custom botanical textiles: a palette, a size, or a piece for a particular space.
- Can I learn eco-printing with NILA?
- The studio is open to arranging introductory workshops, practical demonstrations, and sessions for universities and organisations. Each is planned individually, around your dates, group and goals.
- Can a piece be delivered to me?
- Delivery options, timing and costs depend on where you are. Ask the studio when you enquire, and it will tell you what is possible for your location.
A piece, a commission, or a session
Tell the studio what you have in mind: a piece you have seen, something made for you, or a session to learn.
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