What Are Seagrass Baskets Made Of? The Material Explained

A seagrass basket takes its name from the sea, but its fibre is generally not the seagrass that grows there. The basket is woven from a dried plant fibre sold under the name seagrass, and the seagrass monitoring programme Seagrass-Watch says that fibre is usually a reed from fresh or brackish water (water that is partly salty). Neither our listings nor the other seller guides we read name the exact plant.

The sections below explain that gap, how seagrass compares with wicker and rattan, and which of our baskets suits which job.

Seagrass in the sea vs seagrass on a basket

In biology, seagrasses are flowering plants that live fully in the sea. They grow underwater and can spread into wide meadows across the seabed.

The basket label means something else. Seagrass-Watch says that, as far as it understands, the plants used for seagrass furniture, baskets and matting are generally freshwater and brackish water reeds, which grow in abundance in China and South East Asia. Most true seagrasses, it adds, are not fibrous or sturdy enough to make woven products, and it puts much of the confusion down to common names being used too loosely.

So on a basket, seagrass is a trade name, and a loose one. It tells you roughly what kind of woven fibre to expect and says nothing about which plant was cut to make it.

What the fibre usually is

Seagrass-Watch gives one example of this kind of weaving plant: a species of Cyperus in South East Asia that is woven into mats, shoes and baskets. It calls the plant a reed without saying which species it means. Botanically, Cyperus belongs to the sedge family.

Cyperus malaccensis is one member of that genus. The PROSEA plant reference for Cyperus malaccensis says it grows in moist places, usually near salt or brackish water, and lists rope, baskets, mats, hats and slippers among the common uses of its stems.

Treat it as an illustration of the kind of plant behind the label. It does not show that every seagrass basket is made from it.

Seagrass-Watch also notes that some furniture sold as seagrass is actually water hyacinth, a freshwater plant, so one trade name can cover more than one plant.

That applies to our baskets as much as anyone's. Our listings call the fibre seagrass without naming a species, so the exact plant stays unknown until a maker names it.

Is seagrass the same as wicker (or rattan)?

No. Wicker is a way of weaving, not a material. A wicker basket can be woven from rattan, bamboo, seagrass or other fibres, so a seagrass basket can fairly be called wicker.

When a listing says seagrass wicker, it means seagrass woven in a wicker style, with wicker naming the weave and seagrass naming the fibre.

Rattan is a different plant altogether. It comes from the stems of climbing palms, which are flexible enough to weave into curved shapes, while seagrass gives a chunkier, more textured look. Water hyacinth, the freshwater plant mentioned above, is a third fibre again. Our guide to rattan vs bamboo vs seagrass compares the materials side by side, and our piece on what rattan is covers the palm itself.

How seagrass baskets are made and what they look like

The seller guides we read agree on the basic process. The stems are dried first and then woven by hand. Where the guides differ is in the finer details, so treat any one account as a description of that seller's baskets rather than of seagrass baskets in general. Every seagrass piece we sell is handmade in Thailand.

Our listings describe warm, earthy tones and a textured weave. Feel is harder to pin down. One seller guide calls seagrass soft, while another describes it as solid and slightly textured, so if texture matters to you, look closely at the photos of the basket you are considering.

Each basket is made by hand, and most of the listings featured below note that size, shape, weave or colour can vary slightly. Two baskets of the same design will not match exactly, which is worth knowing if you plan to line several up on one shelf.

Choosing a seagrass basket for the job

With the material sorted, what separates these baskets is shape and size. The table gives the sizes and uses from our listings, as length x width x height unless stated.

The NALARAT boxes come in three sizes, so you can step them down a set of shelves or tuck the smallest inside a cabinet. JI RA THEP is the slimmest of the four at 15 cm wide, which helps on a narrow shelf. KUNNI's woven handles are there for carrying, handy for toys that move from room to room or a throw that goes over to the sofa. PASUB has handles too, but at only 8 cm high it suits things you want to see and reach at a glance, such as folded linens or magazines.

For gifting in bulk, look at the CHA SHA round seagrass basket and the ARUNA gift boxes, both lidded seagrass pieces sold in wholesale sets.

Every piece is in our seagrass baskets collection, and they also sit within our wider range of storage baskets.

Looking after a seagrass basket

When yours needs a clean, our guide on how to clean seagrass baskets takes you through it.

Seagrass basket FAQs

Is seagrass actually from the sea?

True seagrass grows in the sea, but the fibre in a seagrass basket generally does not. Seagrass-Watch says the basket fibre is usually a freshwater or brackish water reed, and that most true seagrasses are not fibrous enough to weave.

What is seagrass wicker?

It is seagrass fibre woven in a wicker style. Wicker names the weave, so the material is still seagrass.

Is seagrass the same as rattan?

No. Rattan comes from the stems of climbing palms and suits baskets with a defined form, such as trays and round baskets, while seagrass gives a chunkier, textured weave.

Where are your seagrass baskets made?

All of our products, including every seagrass basket, are handmade in Thailand.