From Plant to Pattern: Nature Is the Ultimate Artist — Behind Our 2027 Print

In the last installment of From Plant to Pattern, we shared that we’d be creating another print using plant-based inks for 2027. This time, we want to take you behind the scenes and share a little about how we decided on its colors.

We wanted to bring in an unexpected color.

We wanted to explore more of what plant-based inks could do. And the first thing we decided was that we wanted to introduce an unexpected color into the mix.

Rather than starting with a full color palette, we chose that one unexpected color first, then built the rest of the palette around it.

When people think of eit swim, many might picture the deep blues of indigo dyeing. But we’ve always put a lot of thought into our colors beyond indigo, too. From developing our own muted shades to exploring different color combinations, finding colors that feel distinctly eit swim has always been an important part of what we do.

This time, we wanted to step away from indigo blue and return to something that felt closer to our roots. A color that made us think, This feels like us, too. We decided to bring that vision to life using inks made from plants, and placed the order with that idea in mind.

As we worked through the colors, a conversation with WUY came up during one of our discussions.

“Nature is the ultimate artist.”

Every color, every pattern, every idea of what a pattern can be has its origins in nature. This is something that has always been at the heart of eit swim.

That got us thinking: What if we took inspiration from one particular part of nature and used it as the starting point for the colors and overall composition of the print?

That idea eventually led us to our final color palette.

We’d risk giving away too much if we told you which part of nature inspired it, so we’ll keep that to ourselves for now. We hope you’ll look forward to seeing the finished print when we reveal it.

Taking inspiration from nature

Earlier, I said we wanted to explore the possibilities of plant-based inks. But looking back, I wonder if that was a little presumptuous.

Color, shape, pattern. Nature has already created all of it. We’re simply borrowing from what’s already there, finding inspiration in it, and bringing our own interpretations to life.

I’m writing this down as a reminder to myself, too: never to lose sight of that perspective.

Surfing has taught me this in many ways, too. When you spend time working with and observing nature, you’re often reminded of just how incredible and creative it is, and of the deeper connections and sense of origin that tie everything together.

I feel truly fortunate that making things gives me the opportunity to return to these ideas, again and again.

We can’t wait to share our 2027 print with you. Stay tuned!