Living with rattan: a care companion

Sun, humidity and honest wear — how to keep natural cane looking better with age.

Natural rattan is a plant. It responds to the room it lives in, and that is a feature rather than a fault. Handled well, cane deepens in tone over years the way leather and oak do.

Keep pieces out of continuous direct sun. A few hours of morning light is fine; an all-day west-facing window will dry and lighten the weave unevenly. Rotate a piece occasionally if the light in the room is strong on one side.

Dust weekly with a dry brush or the soft attachment of a vacuum, working along the weave rather than across it. For marks, use a barely damp cloth and dry immediately — standing water is the one thing cane genuinely dislikes.

If a strand lifts, don't cut it. Message the studio; in most cases it can be eased back or rewoven. Pieces are made by hand, which also means they can be repaired by hand.