How to pack a gift? Japanese furoshiki technique

Literally furoshiki (or furosiki) can be translated as "bath mat". The fact is that in Japanese baths (furo) peoplewalked in a light kimono made of cotton. Dressing out of street clothes in a kimono for a bath, they stood on special rugs - chic. After changing clothes, street clothes were wrapped in this rug, and after a bath - a wet kimono, so that it would be more convenient to carry it home. So furoshiki began to be used for carrying objects, folding it with a knot. The first mention of furoshiki refers to the XII century. In the era of Edo (XVII-XIX centuries), the color and pattern of furoshiki began to symbolize the store where it was purchased, or even belonging to an aristocratic family.

Now furoshiki used for packing gifts. Fabric allows you to pack a gift of any shape andsize, taking the shape of the item you are packing. And the abundance of layers, different forms of knots, the softness of the fabric, the variety of textures, patterns and colors make it possible to pack a gift in an original and unique way. Fabric for furoshiki can be different, the most common are cotton, silk and mixed fabrics. Use mostly square pieces in size from 40 to 80 cm (most often), but to pack a large gift with a two-meter piece of cloth is also not a problem with due skill.

To pack a gift in the technique of furoshiki,you need to practice a little. You may not get it right away, but the result is worth the effort. In fact, furoshiki resembles origami. In the technique of furoshiki can be packed gift of any kind - from sweets to laptops. Of furoshiki obtained even the original cloth bags - just attach the wooden handles to the knot.

If you decide to pack sweets, remember that each candy is wrapped separately. You can pack fruit, pottery or traditional Japanese breakfast in a box - bento. Then you can stick the chopstick nicely into the chopsticks.

There are different Ways of packing furoshiki depending on the item being packed. Before packing a gift, we advise you to choose the right packing method.

General methods of packaging Furoshiki include:

• basic packaging


• box packing


• packing of a flat object


• concealed package


• packing of a large object (3 ways)


• packing of a long object (4 ways)


• roll packaging (2 ways)


• packing of a narrow object


• packing of two books

Ways packing gifts in the technique of furoshiki there are such:

• conventional packaging methods (8 ways)


• packing in the form of an apple


• packing in the form of goldfish


• poultry packing


• packing for postcards (2 ways)


• packaging for flowers


• packing in the form of a rabbit (2 ways)

If you want to give a bottle of expensive wine or champagne, pay attention to ways of packing bottles in the technique of furoshiki:

• packing of one bottle (8 ways)


• packing two bottles (5 ways)


• packing of four bottles

Even if you read the names of all the methods, it's still difficult to pack a gift in furoshiki technique, if you do not know how to do it right. The Japanese Environmental Protection Committee published Gift wrapping schemes on your website. Why this organization? The fact is that furoshiki is an environmentally friendly way to pack a gift. Fabric, unlike paper, can be used repeatedly, it is not thrown away after packing the gift.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with these schemes so that you no longer have a question "How to pack a gift in furoshiki technique?" And remember: if you do not know how to pack a gift - try packaging in the technique of furoshiki. We are sure that the gift wrapped in this way will turn out to be original and memorable!