a rattan chair frame is constructed in such a way that it accommodates an exercise ball as its seat designed by: per brolund and em riem image © WWF / per brolund

rattan species are members of the palm family and they grow climbing and winding themselves around other vegetation, some varieties growing lengths of more than 100m in length. the world wildlife fund has set up a european union funded program for the sustainable production and processing of rattan in asia’s mekong region. ‘forests with such a wide variety of flora and fauna, which have disappeared in other regions of the world, still exist in the mekong region,’ says thibault ledecq, WWF sustainable rattan project manager.

WWF international: sustainable rattan design - 2 a rattan stand that serves to hold a water cooler container designed by: per brolund and em riem image © WWF / per brolund

working together with graduates of lund university in sweden, in cooperation with local companies, a series of rattan products, utilizing and applying the traditional raw material in a contemporary context have been developed. this includes the collaborative work of swedish designer per brolund (lund university) and cambodian painter and designer em riem have jointly developed various furniture objects which address today’s living needs including seating design and a structural stand for water cooler containers.

WWF international: sustainable rattan design - 3 a type of nesting chair made from rattan designed by: per brolund and em riem image © WWF / per brolund

the object of the programme is to manage the tropical forests containing rattan in accordance with the principles and criteria of the FSC (forest stewardship council), as well as promote and implement the UN’s principles of cleaner production – optimizing material and energy flows, while minimizing waste and water contamination and reducing emissions.

WWF international: sustainable rattan design - 4 split rattan stems being sorted according to color, size and quality before they are processed and used to make products image © WWF vietnam / simone stammbach

WWF international: sustainable rattan design - 5 becoming popular in the twenties and thirties in europe, today rattan is still worked on by hand image © WWF laos / delphine joseph