The wicker basket wares are made in Bulacan which is just north of Manila, the capital city of the Philippines. These are made using a variety of locally available vines and plant fibers including rattan (more information below), pandan leaves, and water lilies. These craftsmen skillfully weave a unique combination of the different fibers to create beautifully decorative baskets and other wicker ware. |
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These two photos show the making of the garden baskets. These beautifully crafted baskets are ideal, not only for picking cut flowers, but also for keeping guest towels in the guest room.
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 These two photos show the making of the shallow round basket sets. |
What is Rattan? Rattan is the name for a large group of plants that are palms, however, rattans are distinct from other palms. They have slender stems (2-5 cm diameter) with long internodes between their leaves. Their consequent growth habit also differs in that, unlike trees, they are vine-like, scrambling through and over other vegetation. They also look similar to bamboo, but are distinct in that their stems are solid, rather than hollow. While bamboo can grow on its own, rattan cannot since in needs support. In the forests where rattan grows, its economic value can help protect forest land, by providing an alternative to loggers who forgo timber logging and harvest rattan canes instead. |
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