Reinterpreting Botanical Motifs in Ecoprint Art through Cultural Identity and Changing Aesthetic Meanings in Contemporary Society

Abstract

Research on ecoprint has examined dye transfer, botanical aesthetics, cultural motifs, and artisan development, but has rarely specified how physical plant traces acquire defensible cultural meanings and social value. This integrative critical review synthesises 20 purposively selected scholarly publications to connect material processes, visual composition, cultural representation, and socio-ecological responsibility. Its original contribution is a four-stage evidentiary threshold model encompassing material contact, aesthetic curation, cultural coding, and negotiation of social value. A complementary risk matrix contrasts traceability of cultural references with socio-ecological accountability. The synthesis shows that pigment transfer and fastness tests establish material properties, whereas aesthetic significance depends on composition and cultural legitimacy depends on documented narratives and the recognition of relevant communities. Claims about empowerment or sustainability also require evidence concerning agency, benefit distribution, resource use, and durability. Together, the threshold model and risk matrix distinguish artistic innovation from unsupported identity or ecological claims, offering criteria for textile criticism, design practice, and higher-order art education. The proposed relationships are conceptual and invite empirical examination