Wicker is hard woven fiber formed into a useful object. Wicker is usually used for baskets or furniture. Traditional wicker is made of material of plant origin, but nowadays also plastic fibers are used.
Materials used can be any part of a plant, such as the cores or canes of rattan stalks, or the whole thickness, as with willow switches. Other popular materials include reed and bamboo.
Do not allow your furniture to be exposed to harsh Ultraviolet sunlight for prolonged periods of time, as this can affect the colour. Turn the cushions periodically. Gently wipe over the frames with a moist, clean cloth to remove dust or spills and vacuum the woven parts with a soft brush attachment.
For major liquid spills, remove all upholstery, hose the water hyacinth furniture and place outside or in a drying room to dry. Please note that it is important that the furniture is dried and not remain wet or damp for any length of time as this will result in mould and subsequent deterioration of the water hyacinth furniture.
Water hyacinth is a natural untreated handmade product and will absorb moisture and dry out in direct relation to climate conditions. To avoid any deterioration it is recommended that the environment be dry and well ventilated.
Once the furniture is complete, combinations of latex and alcohol base stains are used to obtain a homogeneous finish. Painstaking detail is used to prepare and sand each piece for a clean, smooth surface.
Water Hyacinth - furniture is made from the dried stems of this ubiquitous aquatic plant in an ingenious weave technique to create comfortable sofas and chairs, that are not only strong but are pieces of great beauty and character.
Abaca - is a species of plantain banana tree, grown especially for the inner layers of its bark. This robust plantation grown material is woven in intricate patterns of great style that our designers use to maximum effect.
The rattan is placed in a steam box which is necessary for bending the rattan and making it more pliable. Jigs are constructed for producing specific shapes. When the rattan is steaming hot, it is bent to fit into the jig. Once cooled, the rattan will remain in that shape. The shaped poles are assembled with straight poles that are contoured to fit joints evenly. Our furniture is constructed only with quality hardware. The joints where the two pieces meet are wrapped cheifly with peel / wicker / leather bindings.
What is Wicker ?
Wicker is a weaving process, not a material. One of the materials used in the weaving process is called rattan core, which comes from the rattan interior. A machine cuts the inside of the rattan pole, into pieces small enough in diameter for the weaving. Due to the nature of this product, splits and discolorations in the rattan poles are to be expected. They even enhance the beauty and uniqueness of these handcrafted products.
Generally, raw rattan is processed into several products to be used as materials in furniture making. The various species of rattan ranges from several millimetres up to 5–7 cm in diameter. From a strand of rattan, the skin is usually peeled off, to be used as rattan weaving material. The remaining “core” of the rattan can be used for various purposes in furniture making. Rattan is a very good material mainly because it is lightweight, durable, and—to a certain extent—flexible.
Rattans are extensively used for making furniture and baskets. Cut into sections, rattan can be used as wood to make furniture. Rattan accepts paints and stains like wood, so it is available in many colours; and it can be worked into many styles. Moreover, the inner core can be separated and worked into wicker. This makes it a potential tool in forest maintenance, since it provides a profitable crop that depends on rather than replaces trees. Whether it can be as profitable or useful as the alternatives, however, remains to be seen.
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