Wicker furniture has been around for many years now and has been used in the manufacture of all varieties of furniture, including living room and bedroom furniture. But how many of us know what we mean by the term Wicker? Where does it come from? Is it environmentally sound? The truth is we know very little about this substance, much less than we know about wood for example.
Wicker in its natural form comes from the rattan plant. This grows wild in the rainforests of Indonesia and is related to the palm. Unlike many tropical trees it is very fast growing which makes it a great plant to use and harvest. When harvested the rattan bark is stripped and treated to make it water resistant and decay resistant. Then the hard core is treated and processed and is called wicker.
When it first became popular wicker furniture was bought for almost every room in the house. Nowadays outdoor wicker furniture is probably the most popular form of wicker furniture on the market. Being the resilient substance it is, rattan is often, mistakenly assumed to be good outdoors. In fact, like all natural substances, wicker needs special treatments in order to prevent decay and fungal invasion if left outdoors. Before you buy your wicker patio furniture it is a good idea to find out how the material has been treated. Make sure that is all weather wicker outdoor furniture that can withstand the dampening effect of rain and the bleaching of the sun.
Sadly a lot of the conventional methods of processing arte quite injurious to the environment. If you want to be environmentally friendly it is possible to source your outdoor wicker patio furniture from sustainable suppliers. To find out how to do this search google for sustainable wicker furniture.
A relatively new alternative to outdoor wicker furniture is plastic wicker effect furniture. Woven just like wicker and rattan this furniture is 100% rain and sun proof and great alternative to natural fibres. The added benefit is that you can buy white wicker outdoor furniture that doesn’t need repainting or special treatment at all. When it comes to patio furniture there is nothing quite like wicker furniture for a relaxed, comfortable and versatile fell to your outdoor space.