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INFORMATION ON CANE AND RATTAN
INFORMATION ON CANE AND RATTAN
The word rattan derives from the Malaysian word ‘rotan’ meaning climbing plant. Rattan is a tall spindly plant, and it is estimated that only about 20% of the world’s rattan is commercially useful. The remaining 80% being not as strong and flexible to use in any sort of industry.
Most cane and rattan originates from Southeast Asia, and is collected from the wild, although considerable efforts are in progress in recent times to cultivate the plant on special farms.
Rattan harvesting is usually a secondary employment for the local farming communities, when other forest produce is out of season. The rattan collecting, providing a direct source of cash for the farmers.
The most important product of rattan is cane. This is the rattan stem stripped of its leaf sheaths. The canes because of their strength, uniformity and flexibility can be used in the production of furniture, or the canes can be split to produce matting or basketry.
Once harvested the cane is ‘cured’ , meaning the canes are immersed in a bath of hot oil. This is to prevent deteriation, and to assist the canes in keeping their pale colour. The cane is then graded, the criteria of which includes thickness, length, internodes and defects. The cane furniture factories will now purchase the cane, where the furniture making process begins.
Some not so obvious uses of the rattan plant include the dried leaves being used for thatching within the local communities. The rattan plant also has medicinal properties
and is often used in traditional medicine. The root of the plant is also known to be a treatment for syphilis! The local people also use the plant for making toothbrushes, and fishing poles. One of the most important uses of the rattan plant is of course the fruit. So, from the making of bridges to baskets, and fish traps to cross bows, cane and rattan, is such a versatile and important plant.
