Introducing the Art Play Silk: A Collaboration Between Keiko Furoshiki and Biggest Little
We’re thrilled to share something truly special: the Art Play Silk, a collaboration between Keiko Furoshiki and the award-winning toy company Biggest Little. This project brings together two creative worlds: one rooted in Japanese artistry and tradition, the other in imaginative, child-led play inspired by Waldorf and Montessori principles.
Where Art Meets Imagination
The Art Play Silk is more than a toy. It’s an invitation to create, explore, and dream. Designed by Japanese-American artist Keiko Kira, each piece features her signature painterly florals and joyful colors, originally seen on our reusable furoshiki wraps. Now, her art takes on a new life in motion — swirling through play, storytelling, and dress-up adventures.
Working with Biggest Little, known for their heirloom-quality toys that spark open-ended play, we set out to create something that celebrates creativity and sustainability in equal measure.
“We wanted to design something that felt timeless and inspiring. It's a piece of art that children could move, swirl, and make their own,” says Keiko Kira.
What Is a Play Silk?
A play silk is a simple square of fabric that can become anything a child imagines — a cape, a blanket, a fort cover, a river, a skirt, or even a furoshiki-style wrap for carrying treasures.
The Art Play Silk is designed to grow with your child, evolving through every stage of development:
- For babies: soft sensory play and gentle peekaboo fun
- For toddlers: dress-up, pretend play, and fort building
- For older children: storytelling, dance, and imaginative worlds
Our Art Play Silk is:
- Made from a 70% cotton / 30% silk blend — lightweight, soft, and durable for years of play
- Hand-illustrated by Keiko Kira, bringing fine art to everyday play
- Created in collaboration with Biggest Little, experts in open-ended, Montessori-inspired toys
- Beautifully versatile, blending art, texture, and imagination
The Art Behind the Design
Each design began as a collaborative conversation between Biggest Little's founder Stephanie and our designer Keiko Kira. The use of Biggest Little's shapes combined with Keiko's whimsical style create prints with layers and movement. Petals, characters, and dots will seem to dance and swirl with a child’s gestures.
The result is a textile that feels alive, a work of art that children can hold, move, and reinterpret through their own creativity.
A Shared Vision: Keiko Furoshiki × Biggest Little
When Keiko Furoshiki and Biggest Little first connected, it was clear their values aligned: a love of intentional design, sustainability, and creative exploration.
Biggest Little’s mission to make toys that are both educational and artful complements Keiko’s approach to functional art and traditional Japanese wrapping. The collaboration bridges these worlds, merging art and play, heritage and innovation, beauty and use.
A Keepsake That Grows With Your Family
From a sensory toy in infancy to a favorite dress-up scarf or storytelling prop in childhood, the Art Play Silk is meant to grow with your family. Like furoshiki, it can be tied, folded, draped, or displayed. It's endlessly adaptable and made to last.
Each piece invites connection, creativity, and care — values at the heart of both our brands.
Available October 15
The Art Play Silk officially launches October 15 on keikofuroshiki.com and through select retailers. Each design is part of a limited first release — a beautiful keepsake for families who value artful design, sustainability, and imaginative play.
Stay tuned for our upcoming Q&A with Stephanie Fu, founder of Biggest Little, on the Keiko Furoshiki blog, where we’ll share more about the inspiration and process behind this collaboration.
