Saving the Environment with Furoshiki Cloths

Saving the Environment with Furoshiki Cloths

Plastic bags are so last season, now it is all about long lasting, environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing carriers for groceries, lunchboxes and even gift wrapping. For the all in one answer let us look East, to the Japanese Furoshiki Cloths. These are simple square pieces of fabric, with beautiful colours and design, that are folded, origami style, into your necessary carrier requirement of the day.                                                 

The Furoshiki cloths were originally used to carry clothing bundles when going to the public baths, they then lost popularity somewhat in the post war period, but are making a comeback today as the use of plastic bags loses favour. Used most often to carry lunchboxes (bento boxes) the cloths are increasingly being used for groceries and also to replace wrapping paper for gifts. It is after all far better to receive a gift wrapped in a beautiful and also practical cloth than simply in paper that will find its way to the dustbin in due course.

These cloths come in any kind of fabric, with silk, cotton, rayon and nylon the more popular options. The colours and pattern you have to choose from are wide and varied. The Furoshiki cloth is very diverse. It all comes down to how many different options the user is able to tie it in.

The cloths are useful for covering objects around the home that are necessary but are not looking their best, like hangers or a grubby old basket that you may use to keep magazines in. These kinds of objects can easily be wrapped up in a cloth to give them a more attractive outward appearance. For some more ideas on what to do with your Furoshiki cloth click here http://furoshiki.com/techniques/

Objects that serve more than one purpose, and are nice to look at so we will be more likely to use and preserve them are a great way of reducing your carbon footprint. For other carrier bag ideas and inspiration have a look here.