Plastic bags litter our landscape, pollute our landfills, and kill wildlife that mistakenly eats them as food. Paper bags reduce an already dwindling numbers of trees that absorb harmful CO2 gases, the number one contributor to the Greenhouse Effect. Now that I’ve depressed you about the state of our Earth, pause for a moment and picture a world without bags. No plastic bags hanging in trees, no empty fields of tree stumps. All you need is a piece of cloth easily folded to tuck in your back pocket or purse. What is this magical technique? It’s furoshiki!
The Japanese art of furoshiki consists of a square of cloth simply folded around a book, a cell phone, a water bottle, or any object that you would normally put into a bag. It dates back to the mid-Edo period (1603-1868) when Japanese denizens would use public baths and had a need to carry their belongings (“furoshiki,” literally translated, means “bath spread”). They would often mark them with some type of outside design so as not to be confused with someone else’s furoshiki bag.
The skills needed to form a furoshiki bag are minimal—all you need is a knot! The knots are specifically designed to pull apart easily; with a tug here and a twist there, the knot is undone in seconds, and its contents are quickly accessible. No more fiddling with tight knots on plastic bags or items spilling from your ripped paper bags!
By using the furoshiki method of carrying items and replacing plastic/paper bags, you can reduce 61 grams of CO2 pollution in the air, which can significantly reduce global warming. In addition to being environmentally friendly (and sustainable!), furoshiki bags are also fashionable! Worn as a boho bag, a small clutch purse, or even as a scarf, furoshiki bags will definitely add an environmental spark to any outfit! Go to your local thrift stores (or raid Grandma’s old scarf collection) and start your furoshiki bag today!
(P.S.—this furoshiki website is great for learning how to tie the knots!)