A woman and a man smiling at the camera in an art studio, holding leaf pattern artworks; the woman holds a framed artwork and the man holds a fabric art piece with leaf designs.
A woman with short hair and a big smile, wearing an apron splattered with paint, is creating a butterfly print on a silk screen with purple ink in an art studio.

Established in 2012, Just Bee Design is a small creative studio based in Cairns, run by artists Nicola Bryars-Parker and Neil Parker (aka Orange Peel).

We design and hand print linen textiles and artworks from our 1950s Queenslander studio, inspired by the natural world around us.

Each design begins slowly.

Time is spent researching and sketching, often with reference books open in the studio as we explore whether a plant, bird or insect is native or endemic to this region.

From there, the process moves into the studio, where designs are refined, screens are prepared in the darkroom, and each piece is hand printed layer by layer.

It’s a process that requires patience, and one we’ve come to value deeply.

Materials & Making

We hand screen print our designs onto pure linen tea towels and table runners using OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified fabrics and Australian-made, water-based inks.

Linen is a natural fibre made from the flax plant, valued for its strength, longevity, and low-waste production process. It is biodegradable at the end of its life and designed to be used and loved for years.

Our approach considers every part of making — from materials and printing processes through to packaging and waste. Wherever possible, we use recycled, repurposed, and locally sourced materials, including recycled paper wraps, salvaged studio offcuts, and post-consumer recycled card.

Our studio is solar powered, supporting a lower-impact, small-batch production process.

We are proud to have received EcoBiz Star Partnership recognition from the Queensland Government for our ongoing commitment to responsible waste, water, and energy management within our studio.

Embracing Quality

Over Quantity

Close-up of a person stirring paint in a container with a spatula, with additional paint containers and a wooden surface visible.

Eco-Friendly Inks

We proudly print using Australian-made PERMASET® inks — eco-friendly, water-based inks produced using renewable energy and non-toxic ingredients.

PERMASET® is committed to reducing environmental impact through lower emissions, responsible manufacturing practices and recycled packaging, while working towards net zero emissions and full waste recycling initiatives.

A gift card from the Business Chamber Queensland for ecoBiz 3-Star Partner, valid from March 23, 2026, to March 22, 2027, awarded to Just Bee Design for achievement. The card features logos of the Business Chamber Queensland, ecoBiz star Partner, and Queensland Government.

Star Partnership - ecoBiz

In 2024, we were honoured to receive EcoBiz Star Partnership recognition through the Queensland Government for our ongoing waste, water and energy management within the Just Bee Design studio.

This marks our third consecutive year receiving the award — recognition of our commitment to thoughtful small-batch making and more sustainable studio practices within Sunbird Studio.

A marble countertop holding a beige table runner with white botanical prints, a green fern plant, a speckled ceramic mug, and a speckled ceramic bowl with chopsticks.

Linen - OEKO-TEX Certified

We hand screen print our designs onto pure linen tea towels and table runners using OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified linen and Australian-made water-based inks.

Linen is a natural fibre valued for its durability, longevity and lower environmental impact. Made from the flax plant, it creates minimal waste during production and is naturally biodegradable at the end of its life.

Stack of flattened cardboard boxes leaning against a white wall near a door.

Recycled Cardboard Packaging

We thoughtfully package our work using recycled and repurposed materials wherever possible.

Our linen tea towel wraps are printed in-house on 100% recycled paper, while mail orders are carefully wrapped using recycled newspaper and salvaged linen offcuts from the screen printing process. Our thank-you cards are hand stamped on post-consumer recycled paper sourced from an Australian supplier.

Solar panels installed amidst lush green palm trees under a bright blue sky.

Renewable Energy - Solar Powered Studio

Our solar-powered studio reflects our ongoing commitment to environmentally conscious art and small-batch making practices.

Our practice continues to grow - COMING SOON

WORKSHOPS @ Sunbird Studios

Alongside Just Bee Design, our individual practices continue — through exhibitions, residencies, and sound.

Click for Orange Peel's Soundcloud
Click for Nicola Bryars Art Instagram
Q U A N D O N G L E A F…. Elaeocarpus grandis Rainforest Floor . A beautiful Australian Native tree that grows up to 45m in the tropical rainforests of FNQ. Bright blue edible fruits are high in Vit C & are a favourite of the cassowary, m
D A I N T R E E F A N P A L M….. Bring the lush beauty of Far North Queensland to your kitchen 🌿✨ . This hand-drawn rainforest fan palm, printed on black linen with vibrant tree frog green inks from @permaset_aqua . . Ready to add some n
R A I N F O R E S T L E A F…. Printing more of these beauties this week - they have been really popular! . Black Linen Tablerunner with Coffee & Cream leaf . Inks @permaset_aqua from @colormaker_industries Mixologist @orange_peel_art_
Australian Native Bees 🐝🐝 ~ featuring Blue banded Bee, Leaf cutter Bee & Sugarbag bees with native Grevillea . Made here in Far North Qld Small batch Pure Linen . #screenprintart #environmentalart #justbee_design #farnorthqueensland #contem
Printing a custom order - Full spectrum - Quandong Blue & Red on Black linen - but with the Daintree Fan Palm design. . Heading to a home with bright red splash back and Bright blue chair covers. Look forward to seeing photos of it in its new p
A man and a woman sitting outdoors among lush green plants, drawing and sketching in art sketch books.

‘The linen tea towel is high quality and the rainforest leaf design fabulous! So perfect to give as an overseas gift - although it’s so tempting to keep!! Nicola is a delight to purchase from - so customer focussed as well as being a brilliant designer.’

Testimonial from Liz - 26 Nov, 2024

A woman with short brown hair, wearing a sleeveless beige top and loose beige pants, sitting on grass in a lush green garden with large leafy plants. She is smiling and holding a pen and clipboard, with her hand on a black and white dog that is sitti
Man working on digital illustration of a dinosaur on a computer in a home studio.
A wooden table with a weight plate and a tied cloth bag on top, with a red background in a white room.
Woman holding a framed artwork of a leaf with intricate vein details, viewing it in a studio or workshop setting.
Two artists, a woman and a man, are working on an art piece together at a table in an art studio.
Two people working together in an art studio, making a print using a screen printing process. The woman holds the screen steady as the man scrapes ink across it.
Man hanging a patterned shirt to dry in a laundry area.
Hands holding a note card with handwritten message about a travel adventure inspired by a photo of ghost gum at Trephina Gorge.
Two wooden panels with black and orange parrot illustrations and two plain, weathered wooden planks on a surface.
A man wearing glasses and a black and gray long sleeve shirt, smiling, holding a piece of wood with a parrot sketch in a woodworking shop that has various tools and artwork in the background.
A woman working on a wood craft project in a workshop, painting or detailing a small circular object on the table, with wood and artwork around her.
Woman with short hair smiling at a workspace with art supplies, art piece, and natural wood sticks, in a studio with shelves of paint buckets and colorful samples.
A man and woman holding hands and smiling at each other amidst lush green tropical plants.
A woman stands outdoors holding a fabric poster about native stingless bees and plant flowers. She is smiling, with a flowering tree and a black fence behind her, and a yellow bee hive on legs nearby.

Explore the Collection

SHOP NOW