Rattan vs Wicker vs Cane vs Bamboo: What's the Difference?

Shop for natural furniture and you'll see the words rattan, wicker, cane and bamboo used almost interchangeably. One listing calls a chair rattan, the next calls the same style wicker.

They're not the same thing, and knowing the difference helps you buy pieces that last. Here's a plain-English guide.

The short answer

• Rattan is a material: a climbing palm from tropical forests.
• Cane is also a material: the thin outer skin peeled from the rattan stem.
• Wicker is not a material at all. It's a weaving technique.
• Bamboo is a completely different plant: a giant grass.

Rattan: the strong, solid palm

Rattan is a climbing palm that grows in the tropical forests of South-East Asia. Indonesia supplies most of the world's raw rattan. Instead of growing upright like a tree, it scrambles along the forest floor and climbs neighbouring trees towards the light.

The stems are solid all the way through, strong and surprisingly light. When steamed, they can be bent into curves that hold their shape once dry. That's what makes rattan perfect for the generous arms, rounded backs and pendant shapes you see in coastal interiors. Because it's harvested without felling the forest it grows in, it's considered a sustainable material.

Want the full story of how it gets from forest to your living room? Read What Exactly is Rattan?

Cane: rattan's glossy skin

Cane is the thin, shiny outer layer stripped from the rattan stem. It's cut into fine strips and used for two things:

• Binding, the neat wrapping you see at joints and around the frame of rattan furniture
• Caning, the open, honeycomb-style webbing on chair seats, backs and cabinet doors

So when someone says "cane furniture", they usually mean that open webbing, which is still made from rattan.

Wicker: a way of weaving, not a material

Wicker describes the method: flexible strands woven around a frame. Wicker furniture can be made from rattan, cane, willow, seagrass, paper cord, or synthetic resin.

That last one matters. Much outdoor "wicker" sold in Australia is plastic (usually polyethylene) woven to look like rattan. It's built for the weather, while natural rattan is not. Before you buy, check what a wicker piece is actually made of.

Bamboo: the hollow giant grass

Bamboo is a grass, not a palm. It grows tall and straight, and its stems are hollow with visible rings, or nodes, along their length. It's rigid and very strong for its weight, but it doesn't bend into curves the way rattan does.

That's why bamboo is used for straight-lined frames, screens and lighting, while rattan takes on the curvy pieces.

How to tell them apart at a glance

Why it matters when you buy

Care is different. Natural rattan, cane and bamboo all need to be kept dry and out of harsh sun. Synthetic wicker can be hosed down. Treat natural fibres like synthetic and they'll crack, sag or go mouldy. Our guide to removing mould from rattan covers what to do if they do.

So is longevity. A well-made, solid rattan frame, kept indoors and dusted now and then, will last for decades. Every piece we sell is handwoven from natural rattan by artisans in Indonesia, so you'll see small variations in colour and markings. That's the material, not a fault.

See the difference in our range

• Natural rattan, woven into curves: our Albany Pendant Light and Rainbow Rattan Shelf
• Bamboo's lighter, airier look: the Melbourne Pendant Light
• The full rattan furniture collection