If you've been following us for a while, you know we love to talk about how practical our FabRap furoshiki cloths are - and we'll do it again!
Furoshiki is a term that originates from Japanese culture and traditions and describes two things: a square wrapping cloth and an ancient art of wrapping objects. Our brand aims to honour that tradition while raising awareness for this sustainable practice that can help clean up our planet.
When it comes to furoshiki in the modern world, there are a lot of questions to be asked: Where and how do I shop? How do I wrap with my furoshiki? And what else can I do with it besides wrapping?
In this blog post, we want to address all of that and share some furoshiki magic with you. Keep reading!
How To Shop For A Furoshiki
Let's start with something that's important: you may not even have to shop for one. All in all, a furoshiki is just a square fabric cloth and you may have that at home. Think about fabric scraps, a scarf, or even an old tablecloth or bedspread that you could upcycle into a square piece of fabric. If you love DIYs, you can even dye your selfmade furoshiki or add nice edges with a sewing machine. Embroidering gives it a personal touch as well!
If you don't have the materials for your own DIY furoshiki at home, you might need to shop for something. You can either go to your local fabric store and choose a nice fabric from there, or you can look into a brand that makes and sells furoshiki.
When it comes to choosing a furoshiki, it’s worth remembering that not all fabrics are created equal. While you could technically cut a square from an old scarf or tablecloth, most textiles aren’t designed to drape beautifully, hold knots securely, or last through years of joyful reuse. A true furoshiki — like every FabRap™ — is thoughtfully crafted with the right weight, weave, and finish to make wrapping effortless and elegant. The difference is in both the feel and the function: a well-made furoshiki elevates your gift, protects it, and ensures that the wrap itself can be loved and re-loved for a lifetime.
Of course, there are many brands like us out there, so give us a chance to tell you why you should choose our furoshiki. All of our products are ethically and sustainably produced in India, supporting the local farming economy while ensuring that workers and manufacturers are treated and paid fairly. We are proud that our FabRaps carry either the GOTS or OEKO-Tex label and thus follow the highest standards for textile products. These standards ensure that the products are good to the planet, the consumers, and the workers who manufacture them. Because our products follow such high standards and use organic cotton or silk satin, they are more durable and have a much longer lifespan, so they can bring you joys for decades to come without losing their quality.
When it comes to shopping for your furoshiki, the size is also an important thing to think about, especially if you want to use it for gift wrapping. A good rule of thumb is to choose a fabric with a diagonal length 3 times the longest length of the object you will be wrapping. Check out our size guide for more tips on how to find the right size furoshiki.
Lastly, the material of your furoshiki should also factor into your choice. Cotton, especially organic cotton when you want to be extra sustainable, is a great choice as it can be washed and ironed easily. If you want a more luxurious look, you could opt for a silk satin fabric, however it may be a bit more slippery when wrapping and might require a bit more practice. If you can buy your furoshiki in-store, it's a good idea to feel the fabrics to know how they will perform when wrapping with them.
How To Wrap With Your Furoshiki
Furoshiki is the ancient Japanese art of wrapping, so wrapping objects - especially gifts - with your furoshiki is one of its main uses. The most important thing to know is that there is no one (or right) way to wrap things with your furoshiki - there are countless possibilities!
The wrapping techniques range from easy and beginner-friendly to more advanced, for more practiced wrappers. What wrapping technique you use depends on the size of your gift and your furoshiki, as well as the material and occasion.
When it comes to the size of your gift and the furoshiki, you might have to try around what wrapping techniques might work. If you have only little excess fabric around your gift, it makes sense to choose a more basic wrapping style that does not require a lot of extra fabric. If your furoshiki is much bigger than your gift, opt for a wrapping technique that's more advanced, so you can utilise all the extra fabric. There are plenty of great tutorials you can find on furoshiki wrapping that can help you find unique wrapping techniques. Visit our YouTube or Instagram to see some of our videos!
The material of your gift also determines which wraps you may be able to do. Whereas silk may be a bit more slippery and requires some more knots, it can be used to create intricate styles as well. Thinner fabrics are generally easier for wrapping than thicker ones, however, thicker fabrics or double-sided versions are the better choice for heavier gifts.
The occasion is also an important factor to choosing a wrapping technique. If you're just wrapping some of your belongings for safekeeping to put in your bag or backpack, you may want a wrap that's fast and secure. If you're wrapping a birthday, Christmas, or anniversary gift for someone, you may want to choose a more advanced wrapping technique to present your gift as beautifully as possible.
How To Wear Your Furoshiki
Lastly, your furoshiki can not only be used for wrapping, but can also be worn.
The easiest way to style your furoshiki is by creating a simple bag. With only a few knots, you'll repurpose the fabric to a handbag that can go with any outfit. You can either do this using bamboo rings or tying a bag without them. We suggest you take it to YouTube to find some helpful tutorials. You'll be impressed by how many unique bag ideas you can find.
Next, you can wear your furoshiki as an accessory. For instance, it can easily be transformed into a hairband that will hold your hair back while looking stylish at the same time. You can also tie your furoshiki around your hairtie to give your ponytail or bun a more unique look.
If your furoshiki is big enough, you could even try to tie it into a top! There are countless possibilities to repurpose your furoshiki. Get creative with it and engage with others in the furoshiki community to get inspired. Happy FabRrapping!