Sustainable Gift Wrapping
For a fun and creative way to adorn a gift without using paper that just gets tossed away, try wrapping presents in tea towels à la the furoshiki method. Added bonus of using this no-waste technique? You’re giving a gift within a gift.
In Japanese culture, furoshiki refers to both the process of wrapping items with cloth and to the fabric used. The term comes from a combination of two words, “furo” and “shiki,” which mean “bath” and “to spread.” These traditional cloths have been used for centuries to carry belongings, and today the art of wrapping goods and gifts using fabric has gained in popularity as a sustainable alternative to paper gift wrap.
Traditional furoshiki cloth is usually made of cotton, nylon, silk, or rayon, but really any fabric will do. I like to use tea towels or linen napkins – that way even the gift wrap is a present. Once you grasp the folding process, you’ll find how easy it is to use for both boxes and bottles. Here are some basic steps to get you started.
HOW TO WRAP A BOX
Lay the tea towel flat on a table, one corner facing you. If the towel has a print, place the print face down.
Place a box on a towel diagonally across the corner closest to you.
Fold the corner over the box, then slightly tuck the fabric under the box. Continue to roll up the box in a towel, ending with the opposite corner on top of the box.
Pinch together the folds of the excess towel on the right and twist up to the top of the box. Do the same to the left side of the excess towel.
Take two ends of the towel and tie them tightly together in a knot. Then tie the ends together to make a bow on top of the knot.
HOW TO WRAP TWO BOTTLES
Use this for any size bottle, including wine (if your tea towel is big enough). Make sure they are the same size and shape. I save unusual bottles to refill with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and gift that in a tea towel.
Lay the tea towel flat on a table, one corner facing you. If the towel has a print, place the print face down.
Stand two bottles up next to each other near the corner closest to you.
Lay bottles down on the tea towel parallel to the corner, leaving the space between them where they were standing (to allow the bottles to stand back up once wrapped).
Fold the corner closest to you over the bottles, then slightly tuck fabric under the bottles. Continue to roll the towel around the bottles, keeping the space in the middle.
Tuck under the corner for a smooth edge. Fold bottles towards each other to a standing position and tie closed.
