Wicker Furniture made of Natural Materials

Wicker Furniture made of Natural
Materials
Lambert has had classical and modern wicker
furniture in its collection since the start of the 1970s.
In the meantime, many of them have become
classics. Traditional production techniques and
wickerworking styles, which go back to old crafts
traditions, make these objects something special and
unique. By using unpeeled and untreated material,
each wickerwork object featuring in the Lambert
Collection becomes a one-off piece with its own
individual structure and colour.
Rattan
Rattan is the collective term for the woody shoots of the rattan palm tree that grows in the
rainforests of South-East Asia. Rattan is superior in comparison to European wickerwork
materials, such as the willow or rush, due to its tropical weather-resistance and its high
flexibility.
Origin
Rattan used to be cut in the jungle, but nowadays it is grown
on plantations. Sorting of the raw material starts immediately
after harvesting. The resulting cane is used by Lambert
primarily in an unpeeled form, because the material remains
more robust this way and keeps its individual look. The
natural outer skin contains oils that protect the rattan material
better than any sealing varnish. Sorting must be especially
careful when the untreated material is to be used, since
irregularities in the material cannot be concealed.
Transformation
The light-weight raw material is bent under steam and shaped into seating furniture, sofas or
bed frames. Fine capillaries in the core make the solid cane "tube" supple, so that it can be
bent. The weaving of this material demands a high level of craft skills. It takes a craftsman at
least ten days to form a piece of furniture from the 3 to 7 mm thick cane.
Maintenance
Rattan is a robust material. Its peel makes it even more robust. Although the furniture made
of rattan does not necessarily dislike heavy rain showers, it is basically designed for
indoor use. To make sure that the wickerwork and its natural surface remain flexible and
elastic for a long time, such furniture - especially if made of borneo material - should never
be positioned directly next to heating elements nor be exposed to sunlight. Wicker furniture
will last longer if it is brushed off every year with a strong saltwater solution. Hardened oils
maintain the golden-brown colour.
The following wickerwork qualities are featuring in the Lambert collection:
"Heavy-Cane":
A strong, unpeeled and light-coloured cane that has a
diameter of approximately 7 mm and which is used for
robust wicker furniture. Heavy-Cane does not necessarily
dislike heavy rain showers, but basically it is designed for
indoor use.
"Borneo":
Natural, unpeeled cane derived from a finer rattan sort.
The fine borneo with a thickness of between 3 and 4 mm is
more flexible, but it is not as sturdy as heavy cane.
Designed for indoor use.
Borneo is not necessarily suitable for underfloor heating.
"Palembang":
An unpeeled rattan type that comes directly from the
jungle. The wild cane is not sorted by colour, which later
gives the material a natural texture when it is woven.
Designed for indoor use.
"Pitrit":
Peeled rattan, which is especially suited for staining and
lacquering. Designed for indoor use.
„Lampakanay“
Lampakanay is a robust wicker material originating in
South-East Asia. It consists of the grasses of a swamp
grass which is twisted to a firm cord by a traditional
method. In contrast to eel grass, it has a smooth surface
and can be tightly woven. The natural hues of the sunbleached material create a light tweed effect. Lampakanay is resilient and robust. Apart from
extremely dry heated air, there is hardly anything that can do harm to this material in any
domestic setting.
"Loom"
The resilient wickerwork consists of tightly twisted and
glued craft paper. Warp threads with underlying stainless
steel wires thereby increase dimensional stability. In spite
of an all-over lacquer finish that affords a certain
protection when exposed to the elements, "looms" are
only moderately weatherproof garden furniture.