Furniture with natural material finishes tends to appeal to some people, not only because of its natural impression but also because of its exclusivity. It becomes more special if the designer creates unique designer furniture, when he uses natural materials like rattan, bamboo and plant fiber. The cane (wicker) work and the flexibility of the rattan style become the work of art.
Vegetable fiber, such as banana fiber, often surprises many people. The pulp of the banana fiber gives it a unique style, which is why people are eager to touch it. In general, people have the opinion that rattan and any other natural materials are susceptible to termites and break easily. But this is the wrong opinion. Wicker furniture manufacturers have made a special preparation of its natural material (rattan, bamboo, plant fiber) before using it as a furniture material. Some processes have been done to make the natural material have some important properties i.e. weatherproof, durable and anti-termite. Plant fiber is usually used only as a finishing touch where solid wood or some metals are used as the frame.
The most popular plant fiber is rattan. For the manufacture of furniture, we can use only the wicker skin, wicker interior material, or it can be a combination of both. Many types of rattan are classified according to their origin, strength, and diameter size. One of the popular rattan is the Kalimantan rattan (Kalimantan is one of the islands of Indonesia). This rattan has a diameter of 3mm to 6mm, termite resistant and waterproof. It is usually used whole due to its resistance and its rather small diameter. But not all types of rattan are termite resistant and water resistant like Kalimantan rattan. That is why if rattan is used, especially rattan indoors, it must first be protected with anti termites.
The sign of the presence of termites is usually marked by white powder coming off the rattan. Separate this rattan immediately from the good rattan and apply/spray with anti-termite.
Apart from rattan, bamboo is also quite popular. Betung type bamboo has a diameter of 10 cm – 13 cm, most used as a sleeping platform (amben), table and chair. Recent popular bamboo types are Cendani and Mayan. The Cendani bamboo has a diameter of 1 cm to 3 cm, while the Mayan bamboo has a diameter of 5 cm to 10 cm. Although the diameter of these 2 types of bamboo is smaller than Betung bamboo, they have good strength. Mayan and cemani bamboo is good to use as a coat rack, wardrobe or room divider.
Another plant fiber used for furniture material is from the banana plant. Banana fiber is extracted from the stem of the banana bunch. After drying, the banana fibers are twisted and then applied to the furniture frame. The same processes are often applied to water hyacinth (enceng gondok) and water pandanus. It is better to use this type of material only for interiors, not for exteriors. Although they are used as interior furniture, we have to place them in the area where they get enough sunlight. They are susceptible to water and humidity. When the condition is wet and humid, these types of materials expand and mold can easily grow there. And as a result, the color will change, and the material will break down. If you find these materials to be damp, quickly dehydrate them with a dryer or dry them in the sun to prevent mold growth.