Rattan vs Wicker: What's the Difference? (2026)
Rattan is a plant material and wicker is the weave. See how the two words differ, where cane and bamboo fit, and how to care for natural woven pieces.
The words rattan and wicker are often used as if they mean the same thing. Rattan is a plant material, the stem of a climbing palm from the tropics, while wicker describes the weave and the pieces made with it, whatever the fibre. So one woven piece can be both rattan and wicker.
Materials: Rattan is a plant fibre from the stems of a palm. Wicker is the weaving, not any one fibre, and it can be done in rattan, bamboo, willow, reed or even plastic. Our woven placemats show this well, giving a wicker look in sedge, water hyacinth, bamboo and rattan.
Strength: There is no rattan-versus-wicker strength contest, because one is a fibre and the other is a way of weaving fibres. How sturdy a woven piece is depends on the fibre, how tightly it is woven and how it is finished. Rattan stems are solid, which is one reason the material is used for furniture frames and baskets, though it is also woven into lighter pieces such as our rattan wall decor.
Appearance: Natural rattan varies a little in tone from one piece to the next. Calling something wicker tells you about its woven texture, not its colour or the fibre it is made from.
Care and maintenance: Any woven surface collects dust in the gaps between the strands, whatever it is made from. A soft brush or cloth deals with it, on a lamp shade or on woven trays and baskets alike.
Cane and bamboo often come up in the same breath, so here are all four terms side by side.
| Term | What it is | Seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Rattan | The solid stem of a climbing palm | Furniture frames, baskets, lamp shades |
| Cane | The rattan stem stripped of its leaf sheaths; in everyday use, also the thin outer strips woven into webbing | Chair seats, headboards, cabinet doors |
| Wicker | The weave, and the pieces woven that way, in many different fibres | Baskets, shades, chairs |
| Bamboo | A grass with a usually hollow stem | Lamp shades, trays, furniture |
So what's in a name?
The confusion comes from wicker being a catch-all word for woven pieces, natural or synthetic. That is why one woven shade from our rattan pendant lights and lamp shades may be called a wicker lampshade in one shop and a rattan light shade in another.
The KAN WIN Wicker Rattan Pendant Light puts both words on one piece. Its wide shade is handwoven from natural rattan, so rattan names the material and wicker names the way it is woven. Neither word is wrong.
Rattan itself is a climbing palm with long, vine-like stems, and our guide to what rattan is covers the plant in more detail. Those stems are solid, while bamboo stems are usually hollow. Bamboo is a different kind of plant altogether, a grass rather than a palm, as our guide to what bamboo is explains. Once woven, the two can look alike, which is worth knowing when you compare bamboo pendant lights with rattan ones.
Then there is cane. In the strict sense, cane is the rattan stem with its leaf sheaths stripped off. The thin outer skin, peeled away in strips, is what gets woven into the open mesh of cane webbing on chair seats, headboards and cabinet doors. The inner core is made into round strands for weaving, and those strands are themselves sometimes called wicker.
In everyday use, these distinctions get blurred. Shops often use rattan, cane and wicker interchangeably, so the product description is the place to check which fibre you are actually getting.
Synthetic Wicker vs Natural Rattan
Synthetic wicker is woven from man-made strands, usually plastic-based, that are meant to look like natural fibre. You may also see it called resin or all-weather wicker, and it is the kind generally sold for uncovered outdoor use.
Natural rattan, a plant fibre, is generally kept indoors or under cover. The two can look similar at a glance, but natural fibre usually shows small variations in tone and thickness, while synthetic strands tend to look uniform. If a listing does not say which one it is, ask the seller before you buy.
Which to use where?
- For a garden or terrace left open to the rain, look for pieces sold for outdoor use, which usually means synthetic wicker.
- For indoors and sheltered spaces such as a covered porch or veranda, choose natural rattan and other plant fibres.
Our woven pieces are handmade in Thailand from natural fibres and are for indoor and covered outdoor use only. The Navinda Round Rattan Basket, a shallow open-weave dish, is a typical indoor rattan piece for fruit or keys on a table. The JUNTRA Round Rattan Basket is another, handwoven from natural rattan for a shelf, a sideboard or a covered porch rather than an open garden.
Wicker and Rattan: Care Tips
These are general tips for natural woven pieces such as baskets, trays and lamp shades. Follow any care note that comes with a particular piece.
- Dust regularly with a soft brush or dry cloth, working into the gaps of the weave.
- To clean, switch any lamp off first, wipe with a soft, slightly damp cloth, then let the piece dry fully before using it or putting it away.
- Keep natural pieces out of the rain and away from standing damp, and out of long spells of direct sun, which can dry rattan out or fade it over time.
- Skip the pressure washer on any woven piece.
Rattan vs Wicker FAQ
Is rattan the same as wicker?
No, although the words overlap. Rattan is a material, the solid stem of a climbing palm. Wicker describes a way of weaving flexible strands into baskets, shades and chairs, and the word also covers the finished pieces. A woven rattan basket is therefore wicker too, but wicker can just as well be willow, bamboo or plastic.
Is cane the same as rattan?
Cane comes from rattan, so the two are closely linked but not identical. Strictly, cane is the rattan stem once its leaf sheaths are removed. In shopping language, cane often means the thin strips peeled from the outside of that stem and woven into the open mesh seen on chair seats and cabinet doors.
Is bamboo wicker?
Bamboo is a plant, not a weave, so on its own it is not wicker. It is a grass with a usually hollow stem, unlike solid rattan. When bamboo is split into thin strips and woven into a basket, tray or lamp shade, though, the finished piece can fairly be called wicker.
What is synthetic wicker?
Synthetic wicker is a woven material made from man-made strands, usually plastic-based, shaped and coloured to resemble a natural fibre such as rattan. You may also see it sold as resin wicker. The word wicker still refers to the weave. Only the material is different. We do not sell it, as our woven pieces are made from natural plant fibres.
If you like the woven look around the home, our Thai-made boho table lamps, boho floor lamps and boho wall sconces are made with natural materials such as bamboo. For shades overhead, our guide to rattan pendant lights covers how to choose, style and hang them.
