Today cane and wicker is one of the most popular materials for making outdoor furniture, but it first became popular over 5000 years ago during the Egyptian times. In approximately 3000 BC the Egyptians began harvesting the reeds that grew along the Nile and weaved them into frames to make furniture such as chairs, baskets and tables. Due to the stylishness, simplicity and utilisation of natural materials, cane and wicker has been passed from culture to culture.
In the sixteenth century rattan was discovered in South East Asia by sea traders. This proved to be much more durable than reed for making wicker and increased the popularity of wicker furniture in Europe. Due to the fact wicker is easily maintained and collects much less dust and dirt than upholstered items this popularity continued into the nineteenth century. For the Victorians wicker was an essential element to both outdoor and indoor furniture, providing an elaborate and romantic detail to any room.
America was slower to adopt wicker as a staple furniture material. The potential of rattan was not illuminated until the 1850s when Cyrus Wakefield discovered that it was so strong cargo ships used it to hold items in place. Wicker furniture and baskets made from rattan grew in popularity but the weaving process was too labour intensive and limited overall production and expanse. It was only when a loom was invented to automatically weave and install cane seats that production exploded due to decreased production costs.
In the early 1900s, tastes began to move away from wicker in favour of simple designs without any of the elaborate ‘fuss’ of wicker. In an attempt to reinvent the popularity of wicker some producers turned to synthetic materials and more simplistic designs to reduce the cost of production and appeal to contemporary tastes. This furniture was popular for many years, however when the Great Depression of the 1930s struck wicker again began to lose its appeal.
The 1960s and 1970s saw an increase in the popularity of wicker furniture as consumers desired an outdoor lifestyle and strove ‘to keep up with the Jones’ and this popularity has continued into the twenty-first century. It is still viewed as a clean, lightweight and natural material with a summery feel that signifies outdoor and country living. As its popularity has flourished and dwindled throughout the last 5000 years, a similar pattern can perhaps be expected in the coming centuries. However it is also probable that our global warming age will see all the advantages of cane and wicker. It is a natural, durable, comfortable, unique and weatherproof material that is a practical and sustainable long-term substitute for timber.
