Mix Fruit Shop: A Homegrown Brand that uses Eco-Printing to make Clothes from Fruit, Flowers, and Plant Dyes!

Deep blue imprints of leaves dance across naturally dyed fabrics at Mix Fruit Shop, where an ancient photographic technique meets sustainable fashion. Confused? This innovative brand has reimagined cyanotype—a 19th-century printing process typically reserved for architectural blueprints—as a means of creating wearable art.

Behind this creative venture is Nishi, a young engineer-turned-artist from Rajasthan who is slowly changing eco-friendly fashion in India with her unique approach to natural dyeing and printing techniques.

The Art of Cyanotype in Fashion

Launched in October 2023, Mix Fruit Shop began with Nishi's fascination with cyanotype, a historical photographic printing technique that produces stunning Prussian blue images."I was a painter before, and I met some really nice people who guided me, and then I started cyanotype," Nishi explains. "There are these two liquids. You put them on paper or fabric, then you lay out your arrangement of leaves or anything really. The sun blocks it out, and what comes out is really nice blueprints."

Siting this, she shares a fascinating fact, “The term 'blueprint' actually originates from this technique, which was historically used for architectural plans and designs.” While working with the vivid blue impressions that emerge when sunlight reacts with chemically treated fabric, Nishi recognised an opportunity to bring this technique to clothing. "Nobody, I think, is using it for clothing in India. So that's how I started Mix Fruit Shop—to incorporate the art of cyanotype in clothing," she says.

What began as an experiment with cyanotype gradually evolved into a broader exploration of eco-printing and natural dyeing techniques. "I don't know when the shift turned to eco printing and naturally dyed clothing," the founder reflects. This creative journey led her to reimagine sustainable fashion in a context where it had previously been inaccessible to most Indians.

Nature's Palette: Dyeing with Fruits and Flowers

What sets Mix Fruit Shop apart is Nishi's commitment to using natural elements in her dyeing process. From pomegranate peels to avocado skins, she transforms fruit waste into vibrant colours for her fabrics. "I can make dyes out of pomegranate peels, but my neighbours went entirely insane because I kept asking everybody for pomegranate peels," Nishi laughs. "I asked restaurants for avocado peels because you cannot find avocado peels in a normal Indian household."

Her sustainable approach extends to leaf collection as well. "If I see a nice leaf on the road, it's in my bag for sure," she shares. "My wallet and purse would be filled with leaves. It was like I was a smuggler of some sort." One of the traditional ingredients she works with is the Myrobalan or "herda" fruit, which has been used in Indian block printing for centuries. “Indian handlooms have been a mixture of indigo, herda, and a lot of other natural dyes," explains Nishi.

The Meticulous Process

Creating a single piece of clothing at Mix Fruit Shop is a labour of love that takes anywhere from 15 to 20 days. The process begins with preparing the fabric, which involves washing and pre-treating it with minerals to ensure the natural dyes bond properly with the fibres "With natural dyes, you have to treat them with some minerals. It can also be treated with soy milk and salt," Nishi explains. "For better longevity, I use those minerals. There is a one-day process of pre-treating the fabrics, and then you prepare the dye." After dyeing, the fabric must cure for about three days before undergoing a proper washing process. "All in all takes 7 to 10 days," she says. "Plus, if you're eco-printing, the major thing is foraging for the leaves."

One-Woman Show

All this is done solely by Nishi herself. From dyeing and eco-printing to content creation and social media management, she handles it all. She occasionally enlists her siblings for help, but primarily operates as a solo entrepreneur. When asked about the difficulty aspect of managing a business individually, the founder says, "It's super difficult because I know I have a good eye for content and photoshoots, but the most difficult part for me is to manage social media and shoot content." "The making and dyeing part is a slow and meditative process, so that is not so difficult at the moment."

She also conducts workshops to educate people about eco-friendly clothing options. While doing this, she also educates people about the pricing of her products, which are quite reasonable as compared to other Western brands in the market.  

As Mix Fruit Shop continues to grow, Nishi plans to expand into home decor and work with scrap fabric from export houses. With her innovative approach to sustainable fashion and commitment to accessibility, she's proving that eco-friendly clothing can be both beautiful and affordable.