Wicker furniture is popular for indoor and mostly as outdoor furniture through many years of existence. The popularity aroused as this type of furniture has many kinds of design, materials, colors, and the uniqueness of weaving.
From its weaving process then this type of furniture is called wicker. Wicker rattan furniture can be divided into two types of material source that is natural fiber and synthetic fiber. Wicker furniture manufacturers usually use natural fiber such as rattan, bamboo, abaca, seagrass or water hyacinth and the synthetic furniture is made of synthetic rattan.
In term of natural fiber for wicker materials, they have each characteristic that make them as furniture materials.
Rattan. It is the main material to be used as wicker materials. In Indonesia, one of rattan furniture exporter, rattan grows rapidly in Kalimantan islands. Rattan usually lives in riverside or swamp and also known as renewable resource. Rattan has many parts that are suitable to make rattan furniture. Rattan consists of rattan core, rattan peel, rattan fitrit, kubu grey and rattan stick (skin on/asalan). Rattan stick is used as furniture frame that is sometimes can be substituted with wood or metal.
Water hyacinth. This material is free-floating plant, just like lotus, and lives in rivers or swamps. Once, this material is considered as pollution since sunlight and oxygen difficulty to enter water surface. However, people know how to function this plant into some useful product not to mention as furniture, basket, sandals, or bags. When it is turned to furniture, it becomes beautiful and functional.
Banana/Abaca. The wicker material for banana is taken from the stem of banana trees and it is slice up. It then twisted and weaved into wicker furniture. Banana can be found easily in Indonesia even in people backyard due to its endemic.
Seagrass. This is still in ‘pandanus’ family, some kind of big grass of Indonesian plantation. Usually, seagrass is produced as indoor furniture because its characteristic of pattern and textures.
Bamboo. This material is one of the most traditional materials found in Indonesia. Commonly, bamboo is used as part of traditional houses, ladder, and other household appliance, into hand fan. As furniture, bamboo can be produced with or without peeling the skin tailored to the design.