Eco-Bag
Shopping with furoshiki
The 'My bag movement' of using no plastic bags for shopping has become popular but it is a little troublesome to carry a separate bag for shopping. It is almost impossible if you go shopping straight after work. However, the furoshiki does not take much space in your handbag or coat pocket and you can easily put the equivalent of a shopping bag of groceries into one furoshiki. It’s so easy; all you have to do is tie both ends together.
How to use
Recently, the furoshiki has been catching the attention of environmental groups as it is an excellent cloth for wrapping, it becomes small when not in use and folded, it can be used over and over, and it has various usage such as to carry , to wrap and to hang. This one item encapsulates the spirit of ' mottai-nai and the 3R's. Using a furoshiki will help to both reduce the use of raw materials to create packaging, and to stop the use of excessive packaging. This can contribute to saving our natural resources and energy. The furoshiki (Eco bag) itself demonstrates a kind of circulation, people wrap things with it, tie the ends and make a knot, use it for different purposes, then after use, it returns back in original shape, a cloth. It seems like the right time for the furoshiki - or should we say ECO BAG? - to come into fashion.
There are ten different sizes of furoshiki.
They are not always square because a rectangular has better pulling strength along the diagonal. This increases the elasticity, making it easier to use.
Choosing the right size to use
The most frequently used sizes are between 68cm and 105cm which can suit many purposes. The item is about one third of the diagonal line of the furoshiki- this is the best size for wrapping.
Making a knot changes its shape
Making a knot in a furoshiki is an easy way to change its shape to a bag . It can also be used to fasten together like a zip, Button and hook work in a similar way, but they have limits. For example, they cannot be fastened if the contents are too big. But a knot in a furoshiki can be adjustable. You can change the use according to circumstances.
Here is an introduction of some special features. You can use it for your own arrangement.
 Simple Bag |
 |
 90cm  120cm |
 Ribbon Bag |
 |
 90cm |
 Bottle Bag |
 |
 90cm |
 Bottle Bag |
 |
 68cm |
 Doughnut Bag |
 |
  90cm |
 Shopping Bag 1 |
 |
 104cm |
 Shopping Bag 2 |
 |
 90cm |
Cusion Cover (68cm x 2)
Tissue Box Cover (45cm)
If you wish to find out more ways to enjoy using the Furoshiki you can find more ways to use them.
ISBN4-7700-2736-2 "Gift Wrapping with Textiles" stylish Ideas from Japan. by Chizuko Morita
Demonstration on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F74Dwe2BDFw&feature=channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNB9Su-N6hc Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html