Furoshiki
A furoshiki (Japanese风 吕 敷) is a square cloth that is traditionally used mainly in Japan as packaging and as a carrying bag, for example, gifts or clothes. Originally from the Edo period name roughly means " bath towel " because it was the custom in public bath houses to keep their own clothes in such tissues, but is likely similar use, as among traders, dating back to the Nara period. An older name was hirazutsumi (平 包, dt "flat bundle "). As materials nowadays occur synthetic fiber, cotton or silk, the sizes are varied, usually from about 45 cm to about 100 cm length. Furoshiki, which are often printed with traditional designs or dyed shibori style, are used for packing gifts but also to wrap frequent in Japan lunch box ( bento ), where they simultaneously replace placemat or napkin.
After the Second World War using this cloths fell sharply: For everyday purchases, the plastic bag was increasingly preferred. The idea of recycling and approaches to environmental protection in everyday life led to the year 2000 to a revival of this Japanese cultural heritage. The Austrian provocative eco-conscious artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser designed a cotton furoshiki for district heating Wien GmbH and called it " Binkel - Bündel.Furoshiki ".
In 2006, the Japanese Environment Minister Yuriko Koike one of her self-designed Furoshiki steps to promote the use as a contribution to environmental protection.
Two bento, packed in Furoshiki.
Bottles packaging
Christmas
Hundertwasser " Binkel Bundle"
The corresponding cloth is called in Korea " Bojagi ".