What is Furoshiki?
Furoshiki (風呂敷, pronounced fu·rosh·ki) is a square cloth used in Japan to wrap, carry, and give things.
Just one square fabric, tied differently depending on what you need.
Furoshiki history
The word furoshiki literally means "bath spread." The practice dates back to the Nara period (AD 710–794), when cloth was used to bundle belongings at public bathhouses. By the Edo period (1603–1868), furoshiki had become an everyday tool across all levels of Japanese society. Merchants used them to transport goods, families to carry food and gifts, travellers to pack for the road.
Furoshiki use declined sharply in the postwar period, largely replaced by plastic bags and disposable packaging. But interest has returned, partly driven by environmental awareness, and partly because a cloth that can do everything never really stops being useful.
How to use
Furoshiki can be tied into dozens of different forms. The most common :
Simple bag - lay flat, place item in centre, tie two opposite corners together.
Handle bag - wrap item and knot the four corners into two handles.
Bottle wrap - roll a bottle into the cloth from one end, stand upright, tie at the neck.
Leather strap bag - fold in half, thread corners through buckles, pull to shape.
How to choose a size
45–53cm : handkerchief, small gifts, light wrapping, bento box, small wall hanging
68–70cm : scarf, small bag
90cm : bottles, larger gifts, scarf, shoulder or messenger bag, wall hanging
105cm+ : large items, picnic sheet
Our approach
We started making furoshiki in Tokyo in 2011 to create something modern and lasting, using traditional Japanese techniques and collaborating with designers from around the world to bring a unique visual language to the cloth.
Every piece in our collection is hand-printed at factories in Kyoto and Kanagawa, where has been both running for over 60 years, one piece at a time using traditional screen-printing methods.
And that means a deep respect for the craftspeople who make it possible. The skill they have built over decades, and the care they bring to each piece, is at the heart of everything we make.
Our collection
Every furoshiki we sell is a collaboration between Link Collective and an international designer or artist. Traditional Japanese craft, contemporary design. Traditional Japanese craft, contemporary design made to be kept, used, and passed on.
Care
Furoshiki are made to be used and washed. Hand wash or gentle machine wash in cold water. Lay flat or hang to dry. Iron on medium heat if needed. The cloth softens with each wash.
Lean more, touch and feel, at our studio in Tokyo →