Furoshiki

Furoshiki (風呂敷) are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth traditionally used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Traditional materials are silk and cotton.

Furoshiki as wrapping for gifts (2007)
Two homemade bentos with furoshiki wrappings
Wine bottle with furoshiki wrapping
A furoshiki design by Friedensreich Hundertwasser
Merry Christmas!

History

Although possibly dating back as far as the middle of the Nara period, the name, meaning "bath spread", derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sentō (public baths; public furo) to prevent a mix-up of the bathers' clothes. Before becoming associated with public baths, furoshiki were known as hirazutsumi (平包), or flat folded bundle. Eventually, the furoshiki’s usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport their wares or to protect and decorate a gift. This art of wrapping was founded by Minoro Takohama somewhere around 1935 or 1936 depending if it is a leap year on that year.

A historical example during World War II is a personal map printed on cloth captured from a Japanese soldier. The map was obtained by an Australian soldier, E. J. Knight, from a Japanese soldier captured on South Bougainville of the Bougainville Campaign in 1945. It is a synthetic fabric furoshiki. The cloth is printed in blue, grey, brown, mauve and orange with a map of South East Asia, and with an aeroplane, a ship and a printed patriotic marching song. The song translates as

"Both in defence and offence, we can depend on our floating castle of black steel (i.e. Japan). We must defend to the end all sides of the Japanese empire, which is our floating castle."

There is also a short hand written poem indicating that Tsuchiya is the writer's third son to enlist, "I have seen my sons leave for the battlefields three times on a fine day of play". Also on the cloth is "To Tsuchiya Akira from all the staff of the Minenobu office."[1]

Modern furoshiki can be made of a variety of cloth, including silk, chirimen, cotton, rayon, and nylon. Furoshiki are often decorated with traditional designs or by shibori. There is no one set size for furoshiki, they can range from hand sized to larger than bed-sheets. The most common sizes are 45 cm (17.7 inch) and 68–72 cm (26.7-28.3 inch).

Although there are still furoshiki users in Japan, their numbers declined in the post-war period, in large part due to the proliferation of the plastic shopping bag. In recent years, it has seen a renewed interest as environmental protection became a concern. Furoshiki are, however, commonly used to wrap and transport lunch boxes (bento) and often double as a table mat for the lunch.

On March 6, 2006, the Japanese Minister of the Environment, Yuriko Koike, created a furoshiki cloth to promote its use in the modern world.[2]

A research group in Argentina promotes the use of furoshiki through the investigation of techniques and ways to adapt to Argentine customs.[3]

In 2010 in Venezuela, ethical brand led by Maki Caballero de Criscaut created the project EcoSchool / ECOlegio. An environmentally conscious program educating kids kindergarten and up, about their impact in the World. Specifically the impact of the use of plastic bags. Promoting the Furoshiki as the ultimate reusable bag.

The Observer reported a growing interest in Furoshiki in the UK in the run-up to Christmas 2020, in part as a response to its perceived greater environmental sustainability compared to traditional single-use wrapping paper.[4]

Design

The design of the print can vary. The Nihonga painter Inshō Dōmoto designed fabrics. Initially they were of designs that did not use much colour, but as the colour dyeing techniques evolved, towards the end of his life he designed more colourful designs.[5]

The Austrian painter Friedensreich Hundertwasser also made some designs.[6]

See also
  • Fukusa, a type of Japanese textile
  • Bojagi, a similar square cloth in Korea
  • Gift wrapping, the act of enclosing a gift in some sort of material
  • Tenugui, a thin Japanese hand towel made of cotton
  • Yukata, a Japanese summer garment

References
  1. Unknown. n.d. Autographed furoshiki (wrapping cloth) carried by Japanese soldier Tsuchiya Akira, South Bougainville, 1945.
  2. Minister Koike created the "Mottainai Furoshiki" as a symbol of Japanese culture to reduce wastes, Ministry of the Environment
  3. "Nosotros". Grupo de Investigadores de Furoshiki y sus Técnicas. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
  4. Smith, Gwendolyn (15 November 2020). "Why reusable cloth could consign Christmas gift wrap to the bin". The Observer. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  5. http://page8.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/h228855709
  6. "Hundertwasser - Friedensreich Hundertwasser". www.hundertwasser.com.
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