The magic of synthetic rattan furniture

From a distance it looks like the real deal. Your heart sinks: rattan vine is a bugger to care for and the British weather does it no favours. Look away for a second and it has unravelled, gone mouldy, sagged and split. But hang on a sec… it’s actually resin rattan, AKA synthetic rattan furniture, made from modern PE rattan, lovely strong polyethylene rattan. In that case, it’s a deal! Here’s why.

Resin rattan is strong, weather resistant and beautiful. It is made from High-Density Polyethylene or HDPE, a UV-resistant polyethylene material that, these days, often comes from recycled plastic, giving it an exciting environmental angle. Other models are made from new resin but with the global plastic pollution scandal rumbling ever-onwards and more people keen to help, we expect to see more recycled resins used in future.

Added UV stabilizers, colours and anti-oxidants make the basic resin substance even more durable as well as resistant to fading. Not so many years ago the choice of colours wasn’t very good, now you can buy stunning garden furniture with woven resin in toning colours, giving it a remarkably natural look, subtle and attractive. Today’s grey garden furniture is a good example. But resin rattan can be dyed any colour you can imagine, during or after the extrusion process. It’s an inspiring exciting when you like to keep up with garden furniture fashions. Millions of us love the trends for sage greens, heritage blues, natural creams and more or less every known shade of grey on the planet.

The manufacturing process must be a thrill to watch. They extrude vats of melted liquid HDPE resin through specially-designed moulds called dies to make long, thin ropes and strings that, when cooled, are flexible enough to be woven in all sorts of creative ways, just like real rattan vine but without the risk of splitting and breaking. Think round weaves, flat weaves, double round weaves and textured weaves, along with beautiful resin rope which can be knotted as well as looped, tied and woven.

The weaving itself is done either manually or by machine. The frames of the furniture are aluminium or steel, usually with a powder coated or painted finish to match the weave and cushions. Machines are no good for intricate weaves, as are higher quality items, both woven by hand in places like Vietnam by highly skilled artisans. Machine weaving is perfect for lower cost, mass produced outdoor rattan furniture.

The best quality pieces of all are given a special protective finish on top of the weave to add even more to the lifetime value, keeping it looking great and in good nick for longer whatever the weather. And that’s why quality synthetic rattan furniture can last you a decade or more when given the love and care it deserves.

Today’s strict quality control sits at the heart of everything. Experts check the finished raw weave for strength, flexibility, and consistent colour. The finished result is not just resistant to rain, humidity, UV rays and extreme temperatures. It doesn’t crack, unravel or go crispy. It’s a dream to keep clean with warm water and mild soap. Insects that can happily chew their way through real rattan vine don’t like it. And it requires minimal upkeep. Just common sense stuff.

Add today’s miracle fabrics, also made from rugged polyesters with water resistant and UV protection properties, and you can see how modern materials take the biscuit. The incredibly comfy cushions add to the charm, making relaxation outdoors a complete delight.

We think it’s a no-brainer. But we’re biased 😉 See what you think – click here to explore the best in contemporary PE rattan garden furniture.