For the holiday season we invite you to discover Furoshiki. This traditional method of folding and knotting fabric for wrapping gifts will surely please people who are trying to avoid mountains of wrapping papers and lovers of "beautiful things" who prefer the feel of a square of linen to that of a glossy, brightly colored glazed paper.
The history of furoshiki:
The use of Furoshiki dates back to the Nara era (8th century) but it became widespread nine centuries later, during the Edo period. Japanese people used these large pieces of cloth to carry their belongings to the public baths.
In the twentieth century, the arrival of plastic bags will first make the furoshiki fall into disuse before it becomes at the end of the century the symbol of the "mottainai", a Japanese concept that rejects waste.
Nowadays, it is customary for every Japanese to use their own Furoshiki to wrap and transport their presents to their host before retrieving them.
How to choose your Furoshiki?
Made of silk, cotton or viscose, the dimensions of the square vary from 45 cm (to wrap silver) to 230 cm (to carry a futon). To wrap your gifts, we recommend you to choose a square of 50 to 70 cm side.
But that's not all! Like Japanese incense, the colors and patterns of furoshiki vary according to the occasion, the season and the person to whom the gift is offered. Also, you can choose shades like red, gold, green and light blue for happy events while darker shades will be reserved for sad events.
The technique is not very complicated, just wrap your object in the fabric and then use two corners to make a knot which will serve as a handle to offer your gift. Here are some examples according to the shapes:
So, are you going for it?
