Furoshiki

Furoshiki example 1it happens every year, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus, you are likely to get and give a gift or two. With the gifts also generally comes the wrapping, either wrapping paper or a decorative bag that you have to throw away or only re-use a few more times before it has to be tossed. What's a body to do when you don't want to waste all that paper?

Furoshiki are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. The name furoshiki means "bath spread", as in the 1600s they were used to bundle clothes while visiting public bath houses. Eventually, the furoshiki became popular for merchants to transport their wares or to protect and decorate a gift.Furoshiki example 2

Modern furoshiki are made of a variety of fabric types, including silk, cotton, rayon, and synthetics. Furoshiki are often decorated with traditional designs or by Shibori, a traditional Japanese type of tie-dye. There is no set size for furoshiki, they range from hand sized to larger than bed-sheets but most common sizes are between 17" and 45" square.

Although there are still furoshiki users in Japan, their use declined after WWII due to the introduction of plastic bags. Recently renewed interest has grown as environmental protection has became a concern. Today in Japan furoshiki are most commonly used to wrap and transport bento style lunch boxes and as picnic mats when eating outside.

Furoshiki example 3In Japan, it is considered impolite to offer a gift directly by hand so the furoshiki serves a useful purpose in an attractive manner. Etiquette is a serious thing in Japan, and there is a debate on whether a gift wrapped in a furoshiki might be interpreted that the receiving party is then expected to reciprocate with a return gift wrapped in the original furoshiki. Then there are those who suggest the furoshiki should be considered part of the gift. In the US it is generally considered part of the gift and can sometimes be used as a scarf or bandana.

According to Japan's Environment Ministry, by not using one plastic bag, about 61 grams of polluting carbon dioxide is prevented from further degrading our breathing air! 30 billion plastic bags are annually used in Japan while here in the US Americans use about 90 billion plastic bags a year. Foregoing the use of plastic bags for daily shopping and gift giving could go a long way to reducing the waste.

So instead of bags of wrapping paper you have to throw away, get everyone together and try making your own tie-dye, stamped, stenciled, screen printed, or otherwise decorated, furoshiki. Check out our tutorial on an easy kid-friendly furoshiki project.

Furoshiki pdf

More Examples of Furoshiki:

Furoshiki example 5Furoshiki example 6Furoshiki example 7Furoshiki example 8Furoshiki example 9Furoshiki example 10Furoshiki example 11Furoshiki example 12Furoshiki example 13

Directions & Tutorials:

Our Furoshiki Tutorial

Ways To Use Furoshiki (pdf)

Videos

Books, Bottles, Bag

Photo Credits:

Simona Gallina - Mammaoca2008


Customer Comments
Image of a notebook and pencil
 

If you'd rather speak with a human, please call toll-free from anywhere in the U.S. or Canada M-F 8am to 5pm PST

Phone: (800) 542-5227

Your item has been added to your shopping cart   Item Added to Cart
Your item has not been added to your shopping cart   Item Not Added

About Tiered Discount Levels

You can combine cotton and rayon clothing & accessories to get the greatest discounts. Your discount is figured on the total number of cotton and rayon items we ship, not how many of each type, style or size. Mix and match them to get the best discount.

Example: adding 4 each of 3 different T-shirts in any sizes will give you the 12+ price on all 12 shirts.

Visual aid for discount details

Visual aid for how discounts will look in cart

Some products may be excluded from discounts, and / or may discount only with themselves. If you have any questions at all please contact us toll free at 800-542-5227 (no buttons, just humans).

Drag and Drop chips to the Palette first.

ssl test img