What Is Rattan-Effect Garden Furniture?

Rattan-effect garden furniture is outdoor seating woven from polyethylene strands over an aluminium frame, built to look like natural rattan and stay outside all year.

The term covers most of what is sold in Britain as garden rattan. Very little of it is the natural plant, and that is no swindle: the synthetic version is the one that survives our weather. We have sold rattan-effect furniture from our Leicestershire showroom since 2001 and make our own under the Sapcote and Burbage names, so here is what the term means and where its honest limits are.

What rattan-effect furniture is made from

Two materials do nearly all the work. The weave is HDPE (high-density polyethylene), extruded into long strands and woven over the frame by hand. Good weave is UV-stabilised, meaning the sunlight protection is mixed into the plastic itself rather than coated on, so it cannot wash off or peel. Strand thickness is the quality figure to ask for: much of the market weaves at around 0.1mm; ours is 0.2mm, double that, and most of the reason a set still looks right in its third year.

The frame underneath is powder-coated aluminium tube. Around them you will typically find 5mm tempered glass table tops and cushions with shower-resistant, machine-washable covers. The cushions are the only part of the set that would rather live indoors.

How it differs from natural rattan

Natural rattan is the stem of a tropical climbing palm, steamed and woven. It is a lovely indoor material and a poor outdoor one: rain swells the fibres, sun dries and splits them, and frost settles the argument. In the UK it spends half the year in the conservatory or the shed.

Rattan-effect reproduces the weave pattern in polyethylene, which absorbs no water and does not mind frost. Staying outside all year is the design brief, not a stretch. If you want the real plant, keep it indoors; see our rattan conservatory furniture.

Rattan-effect, polyrattan, resin wicker: same thing, different labels

Resin wicker and polyrattan name the same class of material. "Wicker" is the word others use for the weaving technique, "rattan" is the plant being imitated, and "resin" or "poly" points at the plastic. American listings tend to say resin wicker, European ones polyrattan; we say rattan, or rattan-effect when precision matters. Ignore the label and judge the spec: strand thickness, UV stabilisation, and the metal in the frame.

What it does well

• It cannot rust. Rust needs iron, and aluminium contains none, so the frame cannot rust even where the powder coating picks up a scratch. Steel frames rust from inside the tube outwards, where you cannot see it.
• It stays out all year. No autumn carry to the shed, no spring rebuild. A wipe with soapy water brings the weave back.
• It is light for its size. Aluminium and woven plastic weigh far less than timber or steel, so rearranging the patio is a one-person job.
• Quality is visible. Strand gauge, weave tightness and even tension can all be checked before you buy, one reason we keep a showroom.

The common set types

Rattan-effect comes in every shape garden seating does: corner sofa sets for lounging along two walls, dining sets at full table height, bistro sets for two on a small patio, sofa dining sets that split the difference, companion seats, and reclining chairs with ratchet backs. If assembly is the obstacle, our ready assembled rattan sets come off the van built, with Delivery Included as standard.

The honest downsides

Rattan-effect has three limits worth knowing before you spend. First, the weave gets warm in direct summer sun, dark grey and brown weaves especially; the cushions deal with most of it, but a bare footrest at 3pm in July will let you know. Second, cheap versions fade and turn brittle: thin strand without UV stabilisation is where the low price comes from, and it usually hides a steel frame too. Third, cushions are not built to live outside: covers unzip and machine-wash, but the cushions want a dry corner over winter.

None of these is a reason to avoid the material; they are reasons to read the spec and buy from someone who will quote it. Our sets carry a 3-Year Guarantee and a 30-day money back guarantee, and you can test the warm-seat question at our showroom at Sapcote Garden Centre in Leicestershire, open 7 days.

Frequently asked questions

Can rattan-effect furniture stay outside all winter?

Yes. The HDPE weave and aluminium frame are not troubled by rain or frost, and the frame cannot rust. Bring the cushions in and wipe the set down in spring. A fitted cover saves cleaning but is optional.

Does rattan-effect furniture fade in the sun?

UV-stabilised weave fades slowly and evenly over many years. Unstabilised weave, common on cheap sets, fades fast and turns chalky. Ask whether the weave is UV-stabilised HDPE and what thickness the strand is; ours is 0.2mm.

Is rattan-effect the same as polyrattan and resin wicker?

Yes, all three describe the same polyethylene weave; the label changes with the seller's home market. What varies is the spec: strand thickness (0.2mm is good, 0.1mm is common), UV stabilisation, and whether the frame is aluminium or steel.

Still weighing it up? Browse the rattan garden furniture range, check a term in our garden furniture terms glossary, or call 01455 274748 and ask the person who wrote this.