There are some distinct advantages to rattan garden furniture being handwoven. It all usually starts with the framework. For high-quality furniture like ours, the framework will always be aluminium. This allows for greater weather erosion protection and allows the frameworks to be easily moulded into the required shape without damaging the main structure of the furniture.

The UK has a unique and somewhat damp climate meaning that even the most expensive outdoor rattan furniture cannot be made from real rattan. As the climate is so damp it would cause the natural rattan to rot over a short period of time. For what is expensive furniture, this would not be a cost-effective way to enjoy your outdoor garden living.

Because of the damp UK climate, nearly all rattan furniture will be made from synthetic material. This material will look and feel the same but will allow your furniture to last for many many years provided it is looked after properly.

The main material used is a plastic substrate, HPDE Synthetic Rattan. This particular rattan is of the highest quality which will be both weatherproof and UV resistant in the summer. A lot of other manufacturers will use a lower grade material, sometimes PU or PVC however these 2 materials are nowhere near as reliable as the HPDE material. HPDE material is sometimes referred to as PE.

When it comes to hand weaving your rattan garden furniture, the HPDE or PE rattan material is very pliable and can easily be used for creating different shaped furniture. Whether it’s a chair with an intricate pattern or a large table that needs to be strong and sturdy, the PE rattan material is up to the job.

The initial strands will be secured to the framework and then the weaving starts making sure that the horizontal and vertical strands interlock to give the dense finish needed. It is often a bit of a shock when people find out that most of the furniture has been made by hand. In this day and age, everyone seems to believe that machines are doing everything, but a lot of rattan furniture remains hand woven.

It’s often hard to believe that this kind of furniture is made by hand but it still does happen. Machines are not yet ready to take over the creation of beautiful rattan furniture. Being handmade does mean that there might be some very slight deviations in colours etc but this is hardly noticeable and shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

Next time that you go out looking for rattan furniture, ensure that you look for the highest possible quality material and always go for aluminium frames. The benefits of these 2 options alone will really ensure you have the highest quality of rattan furniture possible. If in doubt at all, just get in contact with us and we will do whatever we can to help.