Tetrapak Printmaking: Turning Rubbish into Art

For February's instalment of my 12 Months of Printmaking project, I tried something a little different: tetrapak printmaking. I wanted an eco-friendly, arty way of recycling the tetrapak cartons that pile up in most kitchens (juice cartons, oat milk cartons, etc), turning them into something worth framing.

It turns out those shiny, unassuming cartons make surprisingly good printing plates. Here's what you need, how it works, and what I learned along the way.

What You Need

• Tetrapak cartons

• An etching needle, or something similarly sharp and pointy (I didn't own a proper etching needle when I started so I used an old awl but anything sharp and pointy will do the job)

• A craft knife

• Oil-based intaglio, etching or relief ink

• A piece of mount board, card, or an old plastic card (for pushing ink into the lines)

• Scrim, muslin, cloth, or an old t-shirt for wiping back (I substituted the fruit netting from a bag of oranges and it worked a treat)

• Printmaking paper (I used Snowdon 300gsm)

• A tray of water, for dampening the paper

• Paper towel or newsprint, for blotting

• An etching press

The only bit of specialist kit that can be tricky to get hold of is the etching press. I don't own one either so I used my XCut Xpress, which is actually a die-cutting machine, but I've seen printmakers get excellent results with a pasta maker too. Worth raiding a friend or family member's kitchen if you don't have access to a proper press.

How to Try Tetrapak Printmaking

1. Prepare your plate. Cut a tetrapak carton open and flatten it out. Give it a clean. Don't worry about the creases and folds as they'll show up in your final print and add character rather than ruining it.

2. Mark your design. Using a craft knife and/or a sharp needle, scratch into or remove the shiny surface. Anything you scratch or cut away will hold ink and print dark, so this is where your image actually takes shape.

3. Ink the plate. Rub oil-based ink over the surface then use a piece of card to push it back and forth, working it into every line and mark you've made.

4. Wipe back. Take your scrim (or fruit netting, if you're improvising) and work the ink further into the plate. Then use a clean cloth to wipe away ink from any areas you want to stay light or white.

5. Prepare your paper. I used Snowdon 300gsm paper for this print. Soak it in a tray of water for a couple of minutes to dampen it. You want it damp, not soaking, so blot it well with newsprint or kitchen paper afterwards.

6. Print. Place the tetrapak plate on the bed of the etching press, lay your damp paper on top and run it through. Peel back slowly to reveal the print.

What I Learned

Turning something destined for the recycling bin into a genuine art print is incredibly satisfying. It's also proof that you don't need expensive copper or zinc plates to get started with intaglio-style printmaking. The creases and imperfections in the carton, which I initially worried about, ended up being some of the most interesting parts of the finished print. And the small substitutions (like using an awl instead of an etching needle, fruit netting instead of scrim) were a good reminder that printmaking doesn't require a fully kitted-out studio to get real results. Be creative with your materials and have fun experimenting.

If you fancy trying something similarly low-cost and experimental, tetrapak printmaking is a brilliant way to start.

Want to learn techniques like this hands-on? I run beginner-friendly linocut workshops across Essex - see upcoming dates.

oNE OF MY WORKSHOP ATTENDEES USING AN ETCHING NEEDLE TO DESIGN A TETRAPAK PRINT

Natasha Davis Art

Linocut prints and workshops, Essex, UK.

contact natasha:

hello@natashadavisart.co.uk

+44 7379 985 479

© 2026. All rights reserved.