Could our clothes save the world?

Furoshiki is a traditional wrapping cloth that has been used in Japan for centuries.

It started as a method to carry clothes to and from the bathhouses, and eventually evolved to people using them to transport, protect and decorate goods.

What interests me about Furoshiki is how it’s used to wrap gifts. While Furoshiki may carry a particular purpose, I am more interested in its use as a gift wrapper. In an article by the Independent it is estimated that during the Christmas period we would generate up to three million tons of rubbish. This is a tenth of the annual total. And of that three million, 83 square kilometres comes from wrapping paper alone. This is equal to laying wrapping paper down in Wembley stadium more than 80 times.

Getting old t-shirts and dresses and using them as gift wrapping makes the gift more personal and shows you think out of the box. Plus it will save a few bob or two on wrapping paper.

This video on YouTube shows how something as simple as tying knots in cloths can result in bags and unique ways to hold your belongings.



For more tips on how you can make use of your clothes differently, visit.....