Furoshikis are wrapping cloth originated in Japan. There are various sizes and designs and can be used for multiple purposes such as carrying items, gift wrapping, protecting garments in the closets and etc. They are light weight, easy to carry in the bags and flexible to fit various sized items to be wrapped.
Ms. Wangari Muta Maathai , who has been an ecologist for the Green Belt Movement in Kenya and won the Nobels Fredspris in 2004, was deeply impressed by the Japanese value, “Mottainai” and furoshiki.
“Mottainai” means not to waste.
Ms. Maathai has been introducing furoshiki to the world through her Mottainai Campaign.
For this coming holiday season, can we start to use reusable wrapping materials like furoshiki ?
I am going to change my wrapping materials from papers to reusable cloth or bags.
We fully embrace your eco-position on furoshiki. A fellow mompreneur and I have started a little business in Seattle handcrafting furoshikis out of bona fide sustainable and organic fabrics. Thanks for this article and helping spread all the eco-goodness of furoshiki. Cheers, Mandy Behrens
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely blog and great to hear of others promoting the use of furoshiki. After a trip to Japan last year, I was similarly inspired and on my return to the UK, joining forces with my sister in Australia, also started to handmake furoshiki. As well as using my furoshiki as gift wrap, I'm using larger ones as bags. They are so easy to use: fold and knot and then untie, refold and reknot to create a new style. There are some ideas for different bag wraps in the February and March postings on our blog http://www.myfuroshiki.blogspot.com/. Happy wrapping!
ReplyDeleteHi Mandy,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for leaving the comment. I am so glad to know that you and your partner carry a green business utilizing furoshikis in the U.S. I found your business, Persimmon & Pine via website search and got a chance to know your background. I have a keen interest in carrying my own business with green practice and passion for arts, too. I hope that we can enjoy exchanging our thoughts and information. Thank you very much.
Best Regards,
Hiroko
Hi myfuroshiki,
Thank you very much for leaving the comment. I checked your blog and etsy store. I assume that you are Japanese, Michiko? Your furoshiki designs are very cute. Especially, I like your kaeru design. I have just started my etsy store, beautyundermoon, too. Don’t you think that we are fortunate to get chances to see beautiful arts and crafts in Japan? Every time when I go back to Japan, I rediscover something great in Japan. I hope that you will keep enjoying my blog. Wishing you a great success in your tie dying and etsy business.
Hiroko - Great post! We'd love to stay in touch to exchange ideas. Lovely furoshikis myfuroshiki! All the best,
ReplyDeleteMandy & Julie (Seattle, WA)
Hello Hiroko, Thanks for your kind comments. My father is Japanese and my mother English and I was born and brought up in the UK. I loved visiting Japan and really enjoy finding out more about it and it's culture - you're right, there are just so many beautiful things there and brilliant ideas. Best of luck with your Etsy store; you have some really charming vintage finds.
ReplyDeleteHello also Mandy & Julie - your fabrics sound fabulous! It's really inspiring to see the use of furoshiki being promoted through so many lovely products.
best wishes, Mich