Rattan Chair

The popularity of this modern answer to traditional wicker furniture has exploded in recent years, with slick, basketlike textures found everywhere from rooftop bars to beachfront resorts to suburban backyards. “Wicker” itself is not a specific material but a weaving technique. Your grandmother’s wicker might have been made from willow branches, bamboo, rattan, or reeds. Today’s resin wicker—also called “all-weather wicker”—is generally made of steel or aluminum wire wrapped with a paper or plastic material. You’ll want to look for sets made with high-density polyethylene wicker, not cheaper PVC, which unravels easily (cheaper PVC is recognized by its shinier and tacky-feeling finish). The material is lightweight, stain and UV resistant, and exhibits exceptional tensile strength that keeps the simulated strands tightly woven. It also won’t stick to the skin like cheaper PVC alternatives. One reason for resin wicker’s popularity is its easy upkeep. Just wipe down with a damp cloth, soap