MUSUBI Kyoto’s event shows how furoshiki revolutionizes sustainable living

Over three days from May 17 to 19, MUSUBI Kyoto held the Furoshiki SDGs LIFE 2024 exhibition to raise awareness of a sustainable lifestyle using furoshiki, beautifully designed Japanese cloths that can replace plastic bags and prevent wrapping waste. Held annually, this year’s theme was “Borderless,” hinting at how the furoshiki can be used by anyone of any age or nationality.

MUSUBI was founded in 1937 as a furoshiki specialist. It continuously stays relevant with its beautiful contemporary designs, positioning furoshiki as a lifestyle product in daily life. Now MUSUBI is taking the opportunity to create awareness for social and environmental issues with the high reusability of furoshiki.

During this exhibition, we were introduced to the various uses of furoshiki and the sustainable aspects of MUSUBI’s furoshiki. While different series served different purposes and were made differently, we saw furoshiki made from sustainable materials like organic cotton, rayon, and even recycled polyester to make water-repellent textiles. Talking about water-repellent furoshiki “aquadrop,” they can be useful in numerous situations, whether as a picnic mat or for use during disasters.

But MUSUBI’s furoshiki sustainability doesn’t end with material choice and manufacturing. Beyond the numerous educational activities in and out of the country, MUSUBI actively collaborates with organizations like Able Art Company, using art from artists with disabilities in the furoshiki designs.

Workshops were available too, including how to make simple ties and how to use furoshiki in times of disasters. It really opened our eyes to the possibilities, like using it as a picnic bag, a carrier for lunch boxes, a gift wrapper, a wrap for foldable umbrellas, a support tool for yoga, and even a bandage for the arm in case of emergencies. There were even guides to lead interested participants to share the link between SDGs and furoshiki.

We talked about the history of furoshiki before. Ancient Japan has been using these square cloths in a wide variety of situations, popularized by the trend of visiting bathhouses (thus the name furoshiki, or “bath sheets”). Up until the 1950s, the furoshiki was a widely used item in events and daily lives. It wasn’t until the 1960s that this treasured item gave way to society’s addiction to mass production and mass consumption, and a “single-use and dispose” culture became dominant.

This is one reason why the furoshiki is receiving so much attention in today’s world where the climate crisis looms. It represents the essence of mottainai, a beautiful yet rebellious symbol against “single-use.” This exhibition is a good reminder of the good we can still do using traditional wisdom in the modern world.