A better alternative than plastic bags and wrapping paper

Furoshiki is a Japanese traditional wrapping cloth which is used repeatedly in a stylish way. The furoshiki is made of a fiber manufactured from recycled PET bottles, and has a birds-and-flowers motif drawn by Itoh Jakuchu, a painter of the mid-Edo era. It is said to have been first used in the Muromachi Period (1392-1573), when people spread it out in place of a bath mat or wrapped one's clothes with it.

The furoshiki is so handy that you can wrap almost anything in it regardless of size or shape with a little ingenuity by simply folding it in a right way. It's much better than Plastic bags you receive at supermarkets or wrapping paper, since it's highly resistant, reusable and multipurpose. In fact, it's one of the symbols of traditional Japanese culture, and puts an accent on taking care of things and avoiding wastes.

Here's a few example of how the cloth is used. More examples can be found after the jump.


Source: Env & Env
Tags: Furoshiki | Cloth | Recycle