Collaboration

Countless Uses

Bojagi Create Many Shapes from One Piece of Fabric

Although the widespread use of bojagi has significantly decreased compared to the past, bojagi is still regarded as the essence of formal high-end packaging in Korea. The interesting thing is that global brands that sell items in Korea have been actively embracing the bojagi culture.

Essence of Luxury Wrapping

Lee Yoon-yeong, chairman of the Korean Bojagi Art Association, said, ¡°We have seen an increase in the number of collaborations with world-renowned luxury brands and bojagi over the last five years.¡±

Lee continued, ¡°We offered a bojagi wrapping service at a global luxury brand store, and a customer saw a product wrapped in bojagi. The customer ended up purchasing an item from the brand that had the bojagi wrapping service.¡± Lee said, ¡°Bojagi art seems to increase the value of a product as well as customer satisfaction. Many global brands have begun offering bojagi wrapping services because the style elevates the corporate brand image.¡±

There are hundreds of types of bojagi and knot methods. What is the process that determines the bojagi art and knot method? Lee said, ¡°We normally select the concept based on the representative image of the company. We propose the material, thickness, color, and knot method of bojagi in consideration of the content and scale of the event season and customer base.¡±

The design goes through several drafts, samples and revisions. Once the final draft is decided, professional bojagi artists are dispatched to stores across the country to wrap items with bojagi art. The new trend of bojagi art wrapping is differentiated from existing wrapping methods as the style adds Korean beauty to the unique image of the global brand.

New Messenger of Hallyu

Bojagi is emerging as the new messenger of Hallyu. ¡°Recently, at the request of an entertainment program, I instructed the cast members in bojagi wrapping,¡± said Lee.

¡°Then, the cast members flew over to Denmark to demonstrate the bojagi wrapping technique. Danish people showed greater interest in bojagi wrapping than expected. In particular, the packaging technique in the form of a bag with a top handle was very well received.¡±

Lee said, ¡°Cloth is a fairly common material that is easily accessible in every nation, but bojagi adds a uniqueness to the conventional but opulent hues and vibrant knots. Moreover, it is a durable, eco-friendly material that may be used repeatedly. Bojagi is an item that serves both artistic and utilitarian needs in this way. And this, in my opinion, is the reason for bojagi¡¯s fame,¡± she continued.

Extended Usages, Also Eco-friendly

There has been an increase in the ways people and brands have been utilizing bojagi for fashion items such as scarves and bags. The Korea Bojagi Art Association is also putting a lot of effort into educating the general public about the numerous applications of bojagi, such as by presenting different bag designs that incorporate bojagi or by conducting hands-on classes.

¡°We recently opened a booth in Gyeongju, a popular tourist destination in Korea, where visitors could participate in bag-making with bojagi. It was so popular that the waiting line was very long. I particularly recall how happy and satisfied one foreign visitor was, placing the souvenirs inside the eco-friendly bojagi bag she had created herself.¡±

Of course, it¡¯s not necessary to buy a new bojagi item just because its use has expanded. You can do multiple things with one bojagi such as wrap a gift or create a stylish item. People can use bojagi as a scarf one day and as a clutch the next. Bojagi can also be used as a tote bag.

Bojagi has countless uses, which means it is in line with the recent trend towards eco-friendly items. This is yet another reason why bojagi appears to be even more welcome during this period of revival.