Rattan has a long and illustrious history in Malaysia — from the classic traditional furniture to rustic weaved baskets to the infamous rotan in schools. Rattan is an old world climbing palm, with slender stems, known to grow up to hundred of metres long. Rattan are not trees but instead, the vine-like lianas grows through and over other vegetation. 70% of the world’s rattan population exist in Indonesia, while the rest comes from Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
From a piece of rattan, the skin is peeled off to be used as weaving material while the core is processed for furniture making. Rattan makes for good furniture material because it’s lightweight, durable, weather-resistant, hardy, and flexible.
Rattan Art Enterprise is one of the oldest running Rattan furniture businesses in Malaysia. Currently managed by Tay, the fourth-generation family business has withstood the test of time.
“Rattan furniture was particularly popular throughout the 70s and 80s in Malaysia. Almost every family had a rattan furniture set in their living room. But the introduction of cheaper synthetic materials affected business. The younger generation don’t want to work here, there aren’t many traditional rattan makers left. However, over the past 4 to 5 years, things have improved. There’s a new appreciation for the craftsmanship and the aesthetics of Rattan furniture. Many cafes and restaurants have commissioned furniture from us for their establishment.”
While main manufacturing arm is based in Johor, Tay started a little workshop just off downtown KL to house some of the traditional Rattan makers who have been working for the company for over 60–70 years. Here, Rattan is processed traditionally, just as it was decades ago.
“This workshop is mainly for restoration works and high-level custom orders. The artisans here have been making Rattan furniture since they were 10 or 12 years old, that’s the only work they have ever known. I opened this workshop to preserve the art while providing some work for the makers at a pace they are comfortable with. They may be old, but they still have a lot to contribute and they still enjoy making furniture.”
Story & Photography by Chris Lim
Video by Shaun Ng