Rattan is one of the most popular materials for garden furniture, but there is more than one type of material called rattan.
It is important that anyone who is thinking of buying rattan garden furniture understands the difference between them. This blog will outline what is meant by rattan and rattan effect, as well as discussing which is the best buy.
What is rattan?
Rattan is a kind of wood that is found in tropical jungles and it has been used for making furniture for a very long time. This is because it is easy to access and highly flexible in texture, which makes it ideal for weaving.
The difference between rattan and rattan effect furniture
Rattan garden furniture is made out of the natural rattan plant. By contrast, rattan effect refers to items created using synthetic substitutes. Among the most common substitute materials used are PE plastic, PU and PVC. These are treated in a way that makes them mimic the look of real rattan. Other names that are used to describe that kind of furniture are synthetic and artificial rattan.
What can make the issue slightly confusing for people in the UK is that almost all of the rattan garden furniture available to buy will be synthetic. Despite this though, it will often simply be listed as ‘rattan’. There are good reasons why the artificial variants are more widely used in this country.
Natural rattan versus rattan effect
We tend to assume that natural is always better than synthetic, but this is not always the case when it comes to rattan. The natural version of this material is liable to rot when it comes into contact with damp. This makes it completely unsuited to the climate of this country – particularly when it comes to the manufacture of outdoor furniture.
Rattan effect furniture is much more durable and able to cope with the weather in the UK. It is noted for being both completely waterproof and resistant to UV rays, which means it can be left outside in both winter and summer.
There are variances in terms of the substitute materials though. PE plastic is by far the best quality synthetic rattan substitute, as it lasts for longer than the others and needs less in the way of maintenance.
Both rattan and rattan effect furniture are made in the same way. The material is woven around an aluminium frame using the wicker technique. When PE plastic is used for this, it makes for furniture that is hard wearing and perfectly suited to outdoor usage in the UK.
Which should you buy?
When it comes to outdoor garden furniture in the UK’s climate, there can only really be one choice. Rattan effect will be a far more sensible purchase, especially if it is made from PE. PVC and PU may be slightly lower in quality, but they will still be preferable to natural rattan. You should only buy natural rattan furniture if it is for indoor use.
This should have covered all you need to know about the subject.
