One ought to find out the difference between wicker and rattan furniture.
Here is why.
Imagine, you’re in a furniture store, hunting for some exquisite wooden furniture for your patio or your lawn, and you’ve been suggested to buy furniture made of rattan, but you pick one made of wicker or the other way around.
Don’t worry, you’re not the first person to do that, and I definitely wouldn’t blame you for confusing or relating wicker and rattan as the same kind of furniture. Even expert eyes are easily deceived. They might have a similar appearance and might be of use for summer leisure, but they are starkly different.
Unless you’ve seen The Wicker Man starring the late great Sir Christopher Lee, you’d be surprised to know that the wicker is a technique and not a material. Older than most furniture trends, this method begins by foraging for materials found in nature in their raw state and then made sufficiently wet to weave into a particular shape, be it furniture or an idol of a pagan god.
The commonest materials used for making wicker furniture are rush, willow, and yes rattan core. The last material is the source of confusion for most.
What is Rattan and Rattan Furniture?
Rattan is a naturally occurring climbing palm native to tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Australasia. A cousin of the palm tree, it is known for its slender, solid stems that can grow up to several meters long. This lightweight vine, predominantly found in Southeast Asia, is renowned for its flexibility, durability, and rapid growth rate. The outer skin of the rattan strands is peeled off for weaving and binding, while the core, when steamed and sliced, is used in making furniture. Its strength and adaptability make it a preferred material for furniture manufacturing.
Rattan furniture refers to furniture made from the stems of the rattan palm. It is often chosen for its lightweight, durable, and eco-friendly properties. Common rattan furniture items include chairs, tables, sofas, and baskets. The material can be woven into intricate patterns, making it both functional and decorative. It’s particularly popular for outdoor and patio furniture, though it’s also used for indoor pieces. With proper care, rattan furniture can last for many years.
What is Wicker and Wicker Furniture?
Wicker refers to a technique of making items from pliable plant materials, such as willow, rattan, reed, or bamboo. The woven fibers form light yet sturdy constructions.
Wicker furniture consists of furnishings made using the wicker technique. This furniture is often popular for outdoor settings due to its lightweight and breathable nature, though it is used indoors as well. Common items include chairs, tables, and sofas. Proper care can enhance its durability, especially when exposed to the elements.
Rattan is a lightweight vine usually growing in the South East which is extremely flexible and durable and has a rapid growth rate. A cousin of the palm tree, its strands are collected and their skins peeled off and used for weaving and binding joints. The core is used for making furniture, steamed and sliced to make different shapes for the furniture.
Rattan gives one several options for crafting furniture, including on the color front. Featuring a spectrum of naturally available colors, you can either create sets with different colors or a single set with multiple colors, experimenting with patterns as you proceed.
Wicker furniture, on the other hand, can be synthetically painted. And just like its outer appearance it, wicker furniture is now also available in synthetic material, which is not only extremely durable but also resistant to damage from the sun, hence preserving its appeal for a much longer time.
However, non-synthetic wicker furniture does not guarantee durability, the age of service depends upon the type of material used.
Ultimately, the fundamental difference is not in the material itself but rather in the taxonomy. Rattan furniture is solely made of rattan materials while wicker furniture can and is made with a combination of different materials, both natural and synthetic, including rattan.
In the end, it is not the make that passes the final judgment, but the shape, as evident by the general confusion. Hence, considering the difference, go for the furniture that best suits the aesthetics of your house or living space.
Wicker and Rattan Furniture Ideas
What do you think about the ideas above and about the actual difference between Wicker and Ratan? We would love to hear your opinion on the subject in the comment section below.
