A zippered pouch made from thrifted cotton fabric, naturally dyed and hand eco-printed with Manitoba leaves and homegrown marigolds. WHAT IS ECO-PRINTING? Eco-printing is a way of dyeing fabric (or paper) with plants. Unlike more traditional dye processes like making a vat or dye bath from plants to extract the colour, the leaves, flowers, and other plant parts are bundled tightly with the pre-treated fabric and steamed. During this process, the plant material prints directly onto the material, imparting not only colour but also the shape of the leaf or flower to the fabric. Results are always unique, and influenced by many factors, and opening up the bundles is a surprise each time. As in more traditional dyeing, mordants are used to improve lightfastness and colour uptake, but the colour itself comes exclusively from the leaves and flowers. MATERIALS • 100% Organic Cotton Hand dyed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. ABOUT THE ARTIST Katharina Nuss has a B.F.A. Honours from the University of Manitoba. She worked as a Graphic Designer before becoming a full-time parent to her three children. She prefers creative processes like printmaking and textile arts. She uses homegrown, foraged, reclaimed, and recycled materials to create beautiful and functional things. She enjoys the back-and-forth of the creative process, guided by the unique characteristics of the materials and the season they were harvested. www.katharinanuss.ca
