Furoshiki is a square piece of cloth or fabric used for gift wrapping, transporting items, fashion, and home decor. The word refers both to the craft and to the cloth itself, which usually has an elegant, decorative design. Furoshiki has become increasingly popular with cultures around the world as it has transformed the art of gift-giving.
As the world trends towards a zero waste lifestyle and reusing items, furoshiki grows in popularity thanks to its versatility, eco friendliness, and gentle aesthetics.
So when you're giving someone an item wrapped in furoshiki, you're not just giving what is inside it, you're also giving the furoshiki itself as a gift and giving the gift of protecting the planet.
All that’s needed to tie furoshiki is the cloth itself. Furoshiki cloth comes in a variety of different sizes, with the most common being 45 x 45 centimeters (17 x 17 inches) and 70 x 70 centimeters (28 x 28 inches).
The only requirement is that the cloth must be square. For some gifts, the cloth may be as small as the palm of your hand, while other pieces of fabric may be cut as large as the size of a car, depending upon the size of an object you’re wrapping. The gift wrapper can fully customize the look; everything from the pattern of the fabric to its thickness and size can be selected by the gift-giver. Below are some of the basic Furoshiki wrapping techniques to help guide you.
