Furoshiki are traditional Japanese towels, usually crafted from natural materials such as cotton, which can be used to carry or wrap various items. Originally they were used in the middle of the Nara period, in traditional Japanese baths (Onsen), to wrap up clothes and avoid a mix-up. Although the art of furoshiki is still popular in Japan, their use is slowly declining due to the massive production and availability of plastic bags. However, it was not until recently when the towels experienced some kind of a revival. Japanese designers and manufacturers came together to create furoshiki that were not only useful, but also good looking. Traditional craftsmanship meets modern design, and the result is more than promising.

The towels are great for carrying grocery shoppings home, or anything else really, they can help to reduce plastic bag consumption and other packaging. Furthermore, the furoshiki are very stylish and multifunctional, they have the potential to replace multiple different products all at once; shopping bags, purses, picnic towels, scarfs, blankets, gift wrapping papers, and many more. The towels do need a tiny bit of crafty hands to help them get in shape for whatever tasks lies ahead of them. With simple knotting furoshiki transforms from a simple towel into a stylish bag in no time.

This is the first project that we are implementing under the name of Live Green. The project is about introducing the wonderful Japanese furoshiki towels to Switzerland. The difficulty lies therein that the towels do need a little bit of extra care and crafty hands, as compared to single purposed specific products. It does take a change in perspective to allow furoshiki and incorporate them into the daily life.

We want to use furoshiki as an example of a well-designed product that does not only focus on convenience but the bigger pictures, a product that is respecting the 3R principles. With furoshiki we hope to encourage people to reevaluate products that are currently advertised on the market, to determine if they have positive impact towards reducing the human footprint and harming the nature, or if they are centered around convenience. At the moment of writing, it is not possible to simply remove the human impacts and live in a savage way to allow the nature to recover. Those things take time, starting little by little. However, what we can do, now, it giving up a little convenience and adapting our life styles for the greater cause. This is not just the responsibility of the government, it is the responsibility of everyone. Furoshiki helps us to go that path and embrace a future without over consumption and unnecessary trashing.

Live Green brings the furoshiki to Switzerland, and they are available immediately on our website and soon in selected partner shops. We understand that the towels are quite pricey, so we decided to create our own line of furoshiki. After one year in the making The Live Green Furoshiki is finally ready for sales. With the price tag being about half of comparable designer furoshiki, the useful towels are now affordable and available to everybody.

Spread the word about furoshiki and help us to make this project a success. Thank you.

Here are some of the most common usages.

Multiple Furoshiki can be combined for an even greater variety. Our website features a large collection of possible usages including instructions. But again, the possibilities are basically endless.