Natural paints & stone paper: Self-sufficient creativity without chemicals

Natural dyes adhere well – and can be washed off again.

Our ongoing search for suitable pens that easily wash off Infinity Stonepaper led us to discover Sevengardens and the use of natural dyes. These colors, which are so easy to extract from flowers, not only look beautiful on Infinity Stonepaper, but also wash off completely without leaving any residue. Will we soon be visiting schools and our own gardens at home to pick our desired colors?

Natural dyes are the future - and have a long tradition.

Obtaining colors directly from nature

At the Creativa trade fair in Dortmund, we met Peter Reichenbach and the team at Sevengardens. For many years, Sevengardens has been dedicated to reviving and reclaiming plant dyeing techniques, which allow colors and pigments to be extracted from flowering plants using the simplest of means.

And together we had some great moments of jubilation, because: natural dyes adhere perfectly to the Infinity Stonepaper. And they can be easily washed off completely with a damp cloth. Just like, for example, with Pilot Frixion markers . Exactly what we were looking for. The potential of this discovery seems endless. Around 1,300 plants worldwide are documented as dye plants. Whether in a woodland garden, herb spiral, historical garden, or simply on a balcony – dyes can be grown practically anywhere. The Sevengardens network spreads knowledge about plant-based dyes and supports local communities in establishing their own dye gardens (more information at www.sevengardens.eu ).

The dye garden offers space for numerous educational programs and creative workshops. Schools and social institutions can produce their own plant-based dyes and use them in art projects and lessons. This is a sustainable alternative to industrially produced dyes and raises awareness of the need to protect natural resources. Additionally, the dye garden serves as a place for collaborative learning and creativity, where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to produce and use sustainable dyes.

A hot topic for global education

Reusable materials for everyone

Improving global education is one of our main motivations for creating SolarPunk Now. It's why we want to bring reusable writing and drawing surfaces like Infinity Stonepaper and reusable construction experiences like Beenius to the world. Because: many children and schools around the world simply lack the necessary materials. Currently, materials have to be constantly sourced and repurchased. Many people simply don't have the means to do this. But when learning tools can be reused again and again, this becomes a thing of the past.

Schools can now produce their own paints from local plants, preserve them, and use them year-round, minimizing reliance on imported materials and reducing costs. This makes learning tools readily available.

Instead of the toxic colors of whiteboard markers, written on metallic whiteboards, there are completely non-toxic colors from nature, written and painted on Infinity Stonepaper, using the same handling.

Essentially completely free. With significant ecological benefits.

The combination is a win for everyone. The potential is enormous: children (whether big or small) can safely put the colors in their mouths, art therapists can hold their sessions virtually anywhere, and schools can easily establish a color cycle on their grounds, thereby simultaneously teaching children important basics of botany and ecology.

New opportunities for art therapists

Process art without material waste

Art therapists often experience a particularly high rate of material consumption. However, in art therapy, the focus is less on the actual result and much more on the process.

This process art helps people to focus on the creative process, to express emotions through art, and thus to address deep emotional challenges.

With natural pigments and Infinity Stonepaper in a case, workshops can now be held anywhere, and just a few materials are needed to create a wealth of creative snapshots that can be easily reset with a damp cloth. Plant materials also strengthen the connection to nature, which is beneficial in many therapeutic contexts.

This can turn the whole thing into a much more intense experience, instead of just relying on the usual method of paper and pen.