Furoshiki

 

How to be eco-friendly with furoshiki?

 

What is a furoshiki

Furoshiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, used for wrapping gifts and other objects. In the past, the square-shaped fabric (ranging from cca 45x45 cm to 120x120 cm) was utilised for enveloping dresses, shoes or towels when visiting public bathhouses (furo). Today, furoshiki serves as a great zero-waste alternative for non-reusable wrapping materials. 

 

In 2006, the Ministry of Environment announced the campaign Mottainai Furoshiki to promote the use of this traditional wrapping technique, since furoshiki can replace not only wrapping papers but also plastic bags — and making your own bag doesn’t even require any sawing! By learning a couple of simple knotting techniques, anyone can create a unique bag with the help of a furoshiki.

 

The secret to the knot: knotting a furoshiki requires a classic technique that we all know. 

However, there is one small trick to learn: after you made a basic knot, you always have to place the tail of the furoshiki in your left hand over the tail in your right one. This way, you can make sure that the knot will hold even under pressure. Go and give it a try, it takes less than a minute to learn it! This way, you can make sure that the knot will hold firm, even under adverse conditions. Make sure to give it a try, it won’t take you more than a minute! J

 

8 tips for using FUROSHIKI

Furoshiki in your bag:

-when shopping, turn your furoshiki into eco bags to carry your goods or even pastries 

-revamp your current handbags by wrapping it in a furoshiki so that only the handles will be visible

-in unfortunate weather conditions, furoshiki can also serve as a headscarf, scarf, or act as a belt to keep your trousers up 

-say no to carrying heavy goods on one shoulder — a knot here and a knot there, and you have a brand-new furoshiki backpack!

-wrap your own bento lunch box  into a beautiful furoshiki, then use the fabric as a tablecloth; and don’t be afraid to express your inner smile over the yearning of your colleagues :) 

Furoshiki at your home:

-gift wrapping: the gifted person can recycle the wrapping cloth and reuse it for many of the purposes described above. Nevertheless, don’t throw the furoshiki away since it is a gift within itself.

Below you can see some folding/knotting techniques shared by the Japanese Ministry of Environment.

-you can also use furoshiki as a decoration: whether placing it on the wall or between hanging rods, the fabric can enliven any interior 

-as mentioned earlier, furoshiki also serves well as a tablecloth 

 

As you can see, when it comes to the furoshiki, creativity has no limits!