Furoshiki, a Japanese wrapping cloth | Wereldmuseum x Musubi

For the exhibition “Cadeau, Hoezo”, the Tropenmuseum collaborated with Musubi, the leading Japanese manufacturer of wrapping cloths. While they created a beautiful furoshiki for the exhibition, you can also buy your own at the museum shop. You can use the furoshiki to wrap anything from gifts to your lunchbox. Another possibility is combining the cloth with the magnetic patchin and bag rings to create a fashionable tote bag. Or take a look at the Furoshiki Handbook for more creative ideas on how to use this versatile wrapping cloth!

A sustainable wrapping cloth

Japanese people traditionally use Furoshiki to wrap gifts in seasonally designed cotton. After wrapping the gift, you would hand over the gift in person. According to Japanese culture, these behaviours imply that someone is handling your gift in an important way. Nowadays, people use furoshiki in many different ways and for a wide array of purposes. You can wrap and tie each corner or furoshiki in different kind of ways to suit the size and shape of any contents within. Besides gifts, you could wrap your lunchbox or other items to carry them while making a statement. Or, using bigger cloths, you could create your own sustainable bag! Or use the furoshiki as a scarf or mat – their number of uses stretches as far as your imagination. And of course, when not in use, it folds up compactly.