What is Rattan?
The earliest piece of wicker that has been found was in Egypt and dated back to 1400 B.C. Rattan has been used for centuries for forming many tools for fishing, planting, harvesting and construction of homes and furniture. In the late 1800’s when rattan and wicker became more readily available, the popularity of wicker and rattan became more apparent. Rattan is a member of the palm family (or the Genus Clamu). Rattan grows in a long slender stem, which maintains an almost uniform diameter throughout its length. It grows in a manner similar to a vine, but has an inner core and is not hollow like bamboo. The shade in the rain forests is very dense and climbing on tree limbs is the most practical way for the vines to reach the light above the forest canopy. The outer portion of the stem is extremely hard and durable while the inner portion of the stem is softer and somewhat porous. There is no harvesting season for rattan, it grows year round. Harvesting can be difficult due to the landsc
