Like a lot of people, I am reassessing quite a bit on my pollution imprint... I have read many blogs of urban and more herban adventures of doing their bit in reducing their anti-Earth impact. I wish I had a little garden to experiment self-sustenance - but that will have to wait a bit when I am not traveling as much for work (Yes - another fossil-burning NoNo that makes me upset.)
In any case, I share with you a book I picked up when I was in Tokyo earlier this week, 'Furoshiki for Newbies' at the Maruzen Megabookstore near the Tokyo station. The bookstore has about 6 stories, I have a habit of easily losing myself for a couple of hours in that place... although nothing beats Strand's and the Housingworks Bookstore on Crosby Street.
Anyway, Furoshiki (literal translation: "bath spread") is a traditional Japanese cloth used for wrapping and transporting goods to and fro - and I think is a beautiful way to present a gift - as the cloth is not only poly-functional but reusable and therefore recyclable.
Example 1: MINI HANDBAG to carry TWO PAPERBACKS
(pls excuse my peeking toes! I am not a perfectionist with photos as I do not have time to blog as it is... no touch no touch)
EXAMPLE 2: TRADITIONAL BOX WRAP
Here's a good website I found on the history & wrapping techniques: http://furoshiki.com/home.php
Above are my feeble attempts and examples of wrapping books I had lying around - I still need to work on perfecting the corner folds* , but it was entertaining and beautiful.
Hope you give it a try - it's like origami, but so much more fun and useful !!
*Precision upon Precision is a Japanese aesthetical decree...
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