THE ANCIENT ART OF FUROSHIKI

Our Chiltern Street store was created to bring people together, not just as a retail space but as a hub for workshops and shared learning. Last week, we gathered around our purpose built island to explore the Japanese art of Furoshiki.

A tradition of wrapping gifts in reusable Tsutsumi cloth. 

Furoshiki, a traditional Japanese fabric wrapping technique, dates back over 1,200 years. It’s name, meaning ‘bath spread’, reflects its original use by noble families and fuedal lords. In the public baths of ancient Japan, Furoshiki cloths or Tsutsumi adorned with family crests, were used to wrap and identify belongings, Over time, this practical tradition evolved into a thoughtful and beautiful practice for wrapping gifts and carrying items.

It was our second time inviting expert Tomoko to teach this ancient art.

Tomoko is an interior designer by practice, naming her studio ‘ma’, meaning ‘the space between things’, aiming to help people fill their ‘ma’ with beautiful products and artworks while inspiring them to act responsibly towards their environment.

During the two decades Tomoko has lived in the UK, she developed a strong appreciation for her Japanese heritage. Throughout this journey of rediscovery, she found with Furoshiki 風呂敷.

With an extensive range of beautiful Tsutsumi cloths and her own book detailing the intricate potentials of Furoshiki, Tomoko bring her own appreciation of her heritage to the UK.

Beyond its beauty, Furoshiki is a meaningful way to reduce waste during the holidays, with 227,000 miles of wrapping paper discarded each Christmas.

A big thank you to everyone who joined our workshop, and to Tomoko, for sharing these thoughtful wrapping practices. To explore more of Tomoko’s workshops, click here.