Flower ink for marker pens

Flower ink is created by crushing dried flowers into alcohol, letting the liquid extract dye from the plant material. Other substances like gum or gelatin can then be added to increase various qualities of the ink.

The ink is created from natural ingredients using a simple process that can be adapted and experimented with. The showcased example uses butterfly pea blossoms – other suitable flowers include hibiscus, ginger, bluebells and cotton rose, as well as other plant material such as tree bark or onion skins. The colour extraction process can take any time between 1 hour and 1 week and is very energy-efficient. 

The benefit of this material is its versatility, as it can be used to experiment with local and seasonal plants. Equally important is how it can be used to increase the lifespan of marker pens. These pens require large amounts of plastic to produce, and making your own ink to refill them reduces material waste.